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Nana's Famous Apple-Walnut Charoset for Passover

5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Elaine Gordon
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 cups 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This is Nana's Famous Apple-Walnut Charoset for Passover! Why is this charoset different from all the others? It's a classic Passover recipe with a few of my own special adjustments. I've added raisins and dried cherries or dates, and different colored apples make for a colorful and sweet traditional dish!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 large green apple, cored, skin on, chopped (or 3 small green apples)
  • 2 large sweet red apples, cored, skin on, chopped (or 3 small red sweet apples)
  • 1 cup raw unsalted walnuts, optional: lightly toasted (sub unsweetened shredded coconut if nut-free)
  • 1 cup raisins (or currants)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries or pitted Medjool dates (optional) 
  • 1/4 cup blackberry Manischewitz wine or any sweet red wine (or 100% grape juice for alcohol-free)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or more to taste)
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • pinch of fine salt

Serve with matzah

Instructions

  1. Add the green chopped apples to a 7-cup food processor.  Pulse about ten times until apples are diced and no large chunks remain.  Empty the diced green apples into a large mixing bowl.  Repeat this process with the red apples.  
  2. Add toasted walnuts to the food processor and pulse 5-7 times until roughly chopped and no large chunks remain.  Add chopped walnuts to the large mixing bowl with the apples.
  3. Add raisins to the food processor and process for a couple of seconds to break the raisins up into smaller bits.  Add to the mixing bowl with the other apples and walnuts.  If using dried cherries or dates repeat this process.  
  4. Stir everything together in the mixing bowl.  Add the wine (or juice), maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and salt.  Mix again until everything is well incorporated.
  5. Serve with matzah or store covered in the refrigerator or at room temperature until ready to serve.  Best when served 1-2 hours after preparing to allow the flavors to marinate/marry together!  It is also best to taste after combined for at least one hour before adjusting the seasonings/flavors/ingredients.  My mom always stirs in a splash of wine just before serving.  

Equipment

Notes

It is important to pulse each ingredient separately or it will become mushy.  Also each ingredient needs it's own amount of pulsing.  Plus, it is difficult to fit all the ingredients in the food processor at once.  You can hand chop/dice the ingredients but this will take a lot longer.  We also prefer the texture of finely diced ingredients (a bit "mushier" and less chunky in texture).  With the food process it is not only efficient but you can easily control the texture after each pulse.  

Dried cherries or dates are not traditional but a fun spin on the classic that we like!

My mom swears my blackberry flavored Manischewitz wine.  

My mom does not toast the walnuts but I like to give them a quick toast in the oven for about 10 minutes.

For a fun spin try substituting pears for some of the apples.  

  • Prep Time: 15
  • Method: Food Processor

Keywords: traditional charoset

Find it online: https://www.eatingbyelaine.com/nanas-famous-apple-walnut-charoset-for-passover/