Ashkenazi Charoset

1 x cup chopped apples

1 x teaspoon sugar or honey

1 x teaspoon cinnamon

¼  x chopped nuts

½  x grated lemon rind

2 x tablespoons red wine

Mix all ingredients together add enough wine to bind! Enjoy!

Egyptian Charoset

Makes about 4 cups.

1 pound raisins
8 ounces pitted dates
2 cups water, about
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped almonds

1. Combine raisins and dates in bowl.

2. Add 2 cups water (or enough to cover).

3. Let stand overnight.

4. Drain.

5. Place mixture in food processor or blender.

6. Add sugar and process until mixture is well chopped.

7. Serve sprinkled with almonds

Greek Charoset

(Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups)

2 cups pitted dates, cut in half
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup sweet Passover wine

1. Blend dates and raisins in bowl of food processor until very finely minced.

2. Transfer to large bowl and add walnuts, pine nuts, ginger and wine and mix well.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.

Israeli Charoset

1/2 pound dried raisins
1/2 pound dried apricots
1/2 pound pitted dates
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon sweet red wine
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Soak the raisins, apricots and dates in the water for an hour.

2. Add the sugar and wine to the water-fruit mixture. Chop the mixture, a third at a time, in a blender or food processor for about a minute.

3. Transfer the chopped fruits to a heavy saucepan and let simmer about 20 minutes over low heat until the fruit is cooked and the liquid absorbed.

4. Remove from heat and cool, then mix in the chopped nuts.

Italian Charoset

1/2 pound pitted dates
1/2 pound shelled walnuts
3 large apples, peeled and cored
1 large unpeeled seedless orange, thoroughly washed
2 large bananas
1/2 cup sweet Passover wine
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Matzo meal as needed

1. Very finely chop dates, walnuts, apples and orange, and place them in a bowl.

2. Mash bananas; add them to the bowl. Add wine, cinnamon, cloves and lemon juice.

3. Mix well. Add matzo meal as needed to make a mortar-like paste.

Moroccan Charoset

Morroccan Charoset Balls

500 grams hazelnuts
250 grams almonds
250 grams dates
250 grams sultana raisins

1. Using a food processor, grind the nuts together coarsely.

2. Add dates and raisins and process until consistency is smooth but still has some texture.

3. Prepare balls of the mixture about 2 centimeters in diameter (about 0.79 inches in diameter).

4. Can also be served as a dessert during Pesach.

Persian Charoset

1 unpeeled pear, cored and finely chopped
1 unpeeled apple, cored and finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped raisins
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated ginger root
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sweet wine

1. Combine pear, apple, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachio nuts, dates and raisins in a large bowl, and blend well, being careful not to chop the mixture into a paste. Add cinnamon, ginger root, cider vinegar and enough wine to bind.

2. Place on a platter and shape into a pyramid. Cover and refrigerate.

Sephardic Charoset

1/2 cup dates, pitted and cut in half
1/2 cup dried apricots, cut in half
1 apple, unpeeled, cored and diced
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Blend dates, apricots, apple and allspice in bowl of food processor until very finely minced.

2. Add walnuts and pulse on and off until mixture is blended.

3. Do not purée.

4. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Yemenite Charoset

One way of making a unique presentation of this dessert is by rolling the charoset into 1-inch balls and dropping the balls into 8 ounces of melted semi-sweet chocolate. Smooth over, then refrigerate until firm.

1 cup pitted, chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/3 cup sweet Passover wine
3 tablespoons sesame seeds (Note: Ashkenazim are prohibited from eating sesame seeds during Passover)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons matzo meal or Passover potato starch

1. Blend dates, figs and wine in bowl of food processor.

2. Transfer to bowl, add sesame seeds, ginger, dash coriander, cayenne and matzo meal and mix thoroughly.