Haroset (Ashkenazi)

[sonia]

In honor of our Holiday prompt. Haroset is traditionally made for Passover in April. It is said to symbolize the mortar used between the bricks the Jews in Egypt were forced to make. It is so sweet and delicious that the association has never quite made sense to me.

This is my mother's recipe, as handed down from her German-Jewish parents. She also makes it sometimes for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year in September, when we traditionally eat sliced apples with honey for a sweet new year.

The Ashkenazi Jews (mostly from Eastern Europe, Yiddish-speaking) use recipes similar to this one. Sephardic Jews (mostly from Spain, Ladino-speaking), make a different version with a lot of chopped dried fruit (which seems more like mortar, now that I think about it).

2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and grated (we use Gala or Fuji)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
nutmeg, allspice, clove to taste
1 Tbsp wine (we use dry Marsala)(sweet red Passover wine is traditional)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp honey

Time
Depends on what kind of grater you have. And how much you're making. Usually this recipe is at least doubled.

Tools
Hand grater, food processor, or rotary grater
Paring knife

Methods
Mix all ingredients together. Chill. We adjust quantities to taste.

Serving
During the Passover Seder, haroset is eaten on matzah (gluten-free is available but usually has potato flour). It is sometimes combined with horseradish, which is also part of the Seder.

Storage
Keep in fridge, covered. It lasts for a few days, and the flavors blend better over time, if there's any left over.

Comments

[lunabee34]

Thanks for sharing; this sounds delicious.

[sonia]

:-) Your comment reminded me to add serving suggestions!

[lunabee34]

Ooooh nice!

Thanks again. :)

[runpunkrun]

Thanks for sharing this recipe, and for putting it in context.

[sonia]

Thanks for the prompt! I appreciate that you give us prompts every single month, and generally take care of this community.

[runpunkrun]

Aw, thank you for saying so. <3