Last-day-of-Passover Charoses
You can tell that I'm really on top of things when I post the recipe for my favorite charoses on the last day of Passover. Well, keep it in mind for next year, I guess.
Charoses (sometimes called charoset) is one of my favorite things about Passover. It's made for the seders as a symbol of the mortar the Jews in Egypt used to build stuff for the Pharaoh, and is traditional to eat throughout the holiday. I don't make it out of season, as I don't think it would be right - I'm all purist masochistic like that. I usually end up making at least 2 batches of it because Ben and I will go through a big bowl in 3-4 days. You can put charoses on matzah for a lovely snack (see below), eat it with veggies, or just spoon it into your mouth. I <3 it.
Ashkenazic charoses is incredibly easy to make, and will probably take about a half-hour from start to finish (if you have the same kind of tools I use).
Start off with 2lbs of fuji apples (I prefer fujis über alles), 1lb of tart apples, a lemon, and a few cups of walnuts.
Cut and core the apples (a cutter/corer is so bleeding handy and cheap from Williams-Sonoma) and put into a food processor.
Pulse after every 3 apples so the rest will fit.Once all of the apples are in the processor (more than half should be pulsed down at this point), add a good glug of sweet wine (I like to use Kesser or Rashi), then add the following spices:
1tbsp cinnamon, ½tbsp nutmeg, ½tbsp ground cloves, 1tsp ground ginger (dried - if using fresh ginger, make it ½tsp), and a dash of cardamom.
Add 2 large handfulls of walnuts (or any nut you prefer - this is also excellent with almonds and pecans) and let the processor get processing.
Blend until desired consistency. I like mine almost completely smooth, but applesaucey (all the better to spread atop matzah!). Allow to refridgerate overnight, up to 24 hours. You may see some water seperation from the fibres, but just mix it in. This will probably keep in the fridge for 5-6 days. I wouldn't suggest leaving it out on the counter to get warm and attract little bitty living things to reproduce and make you sick.
Yummy!
