apples, honey, walnuts for this Rosh Hashana recipe

Charoset

According to The Biblical and Historical Background of Jewish Customs and Ceremonies, the sticky, granular mixture of fruit and nuts symbolizes the mortar that the Jews used to build the Egyptian pharaohs’ buildings (not the pyramids). Cinnamon and other spices represent straw used in brick making. In this recipe we have all the traditional parts of Charoset with a fun spin that are the add-ins like candied ginger, toasted nuts, dried cherries and date paste. This sweet crowd pleaser can be eaten with any meal as an addition your whole family will enjoy! Using a variety of apples will make for an extra flavorful dish, but feel free to mix and match to the varieties you have available to you!

  • Prep Time25 min
  • Ready in1 hour 30 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 2 granny smith apples, peeled & diced
    • 2 honeycrisp apples, peeled & diced
    • 2 fuji apples, peeled & diced
    • 1 cup toasted & chopped walnuts
    • 1-2 Tablespoons raw honey
    • 2-3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    • 3-4 Tablespoons pomegranate or apple juice or Kadem
    • 1 orange zested and juiced
    • 2/3 cup dried cherries
    • 1/3 cup candied ginger
    • 3-5 tablespoons date paste (see Step #3)
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper kosher salt to taste

    Cooking Instructions

    1

    Place diced apple in a large bowl. Toss with orange zest and juice, then stir in remaining ingredients, Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. 

    2

    Charoset can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for around 3 days.

    3
    How to make Date Paste:
    Bring about 4 cups of water to a simmer. Place 12 oz. of pitted Medjool dates into a 4 cup glass measuring cup. Cover the dates with the water and let sit for 10 minutes to soften. Drain the dates, reserving 1.5 cups of the soaking water. Add the dates and 1 cup of the soaking water into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Add more water if you’d like it thinner. Scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure it is blended well. Pour the date paste into a clean storage container and cover. (Mason jars make great storage containers!) Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

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