Cookbook:Charoset

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

Ashkenaz Charoset is an apple and walnut based paste served during the Jewish celebration of Passover.

Recipe I

Ingredients

• 1½ C (360g) peeled, cored and chopped apples (e.g. MacIntosh)
• ¾ C (180g) finely chopped walnuts
• 2 T sweet red wine
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 T honey

Procedure

1. Mix together and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.
2. Adjust seasoning, if necessary, after it's chilled.
3. For a family Sedar, triple this recipe.
4. Serve with matzoh, or just eat with a spoon.

Recipe II

Yemenite charoset.

Ingredients

• 450g date spread
• 150g walnuts
• 1 pomegranate
• 25g cinnamon
• 5g black pepper
• ½ C wine vinegar
• 20g marjoram (dried), or oregano

Procedure

1. Place date spread in bowl and add crushed walnuts.
2. Peel the pomegranate and pound its kernels in mortar and pestle. Add to date spread.
3. Mix the ground cinnamon and the ground black pepper to date spread.
4. Add wine vinegar and dried leaves (partially crushed) from sprigs of sweet marjoram (removing only the stems), or oregano

Recipe III

Yemenite charoset (R. Yosef Qafih)

Ingredients

• 300g dates or date spread
• 300g raisins
• 100g dried figs
• 200g roasted sesame seeds
• 1 pomegranate
• 100g almonds
• 100g walnuts
• 10g black pepper
• 20g cumin
• 10g ground cinnamon
• 10g ground ginger
• A few kernels of cardamom (shelled, making use of only their inner black seeds)
• Sweet red wine

Procedure

1. All ingredients are pounded thoroughly by mortar and pestle separately. No prior cooking of fruits is necessary.
2. Sesame seeds first roasted in skillet before they are pounded in mortar and pestle.
3. Mix all dry ingredients together (walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, etc.) and mix all wet ingredients together (raisins, dates, figs, etc.).
4. Wet ingredients cannot be pounded, but must be cut into small and thin pieces by a knife.
5. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with ones hands and fingers.
6. At Passover, smaller servings are dished out to all diners. A dash of red wine or grape juice or vinegar is added directly to each smaller dish shortly before dipping one's matzah into the charoset.