Ashkenazi

Charoset

Name: Charoset
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Ashkenazi
Ingredients: 3 pcs Apple; 100 g Walnuts; 1 tsp Ground cinnamon; 60 ml Sweet red wine; 1 tbsp Honey

חֲרֹסֶתAwaiting expert review

A sweet paste of apples, nuts and wine for the seder plate. Its color and thickness recall the mortar of slavery in Egypt.

Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 0 min
Difficulty: easy

Kashrut · pareve

Passover

Ingredients

8

servings

3 pcs Apple, sweet-tart
100 g WalnutsKashrut: Shelled nuts are checked for insects; for Passover they are bought with Passover certification or in the shell.
1 tsp Ground cinnamonKashrut: Ground spices are bought with certification; for Passover, with Passover certification.
60 ml Sweet red wine, kosher; for Passover with Passover certificationKashrut: Wine requires kosher certification (under halakhah, who handles it is also a question: *yayin nesekh*, *mevushal*). For Passover, with Passover certification.
1 tbsp Honey, optionalKashrut: According to halakhah, honey is permitted even though it comes from a non-kosher creature. Because of possible additives it is bought with certification.

Method

Step 1: Dry-toast the walnuts in a frying pan for 3–4 minutes, let them cool and chop coarsely.
Step 2: Peel and core the apples and grate them coarsely or chop finely.
Step 3: Mix the apples, nuts and cinnamon.
Step 4: Gradually add the wine until the mixture has the consistency of coarse mortar; sweeten with honey to taste.
Step 5: Let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavors combine.

Tips

Charoset keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days; the apples darken slightly, which suits the "mortar".

History and origins

Halakhah

Charoset is already mentioned in the Mishnah as part of the seder table; according to one of the opinions cited there, it is a commandment.¹

Interpretation

The Talmud explains charoset as a reminder of the mortar (tit) with which the Israelites worked in Egypt; the bitter herb (maror) is dipped into it.²

Regional variations

MinhagAshkenazim

Ashkenazi charoset is usually made from grated apples, walnuts, cinnamon and sweet wine.

MinhagSephardimMizrahim⁂ To verify

Sephardi and Middle Eastern versions are based on dates, raisins or figs, often with almonds and spices; Iraqi communities use date syrup (silan) with nuts.³

Charoset

Ingredients

Method

History and origins

Regional variations

Sources

Primary sources

Secondary literature

See also