Apple and Date Charoset Truffles

By
Anita Schecter
Anita Schecter_BW
Anita Schecter
Professional recipe developer, food photographer, and blogger with more than a decade of experience creating Middle Eastern recipes.
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Updated on 06/22/21
Apple and Date Charoset Truffles
Anita Schecter
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Re-Hydrate and Refrigerate: 60 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
115 Calories
6g Fat
15g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 115
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 35mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 127mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Charoset is a traditional Passover food that is typically a paste made from various fruits and nuts. It symbolizes the texture of mortar, which the Israelites used when they were enslaved in ancient Egypt.

During Passover, the charoset is one of the symbolic foods that are served. After reciting the blessings and eating matzoh, both the sweet charoset and the bitter maror (bitter herbs) are eaten to symbolize the sweet and the bitter of the holiday's history. Charoset is also eaten as a snack, spread on the matzoh.

The recipe for charoset varies depending on whether it is Ashkenazi (Jews of Eastern European descent) or Sephardic (Jews of Iberian peninsula descent). Ashkenazi charoset is made from apples and chopped walnuts which are spiced with cinnamon and red wine. In fact, Ashkenazim do not recognize any mixture that does not contain apples as true charoset.

Sephardi charoset is usually a paste made of dates, figs, and raisins, but no apples. Greek and Turkish Jews, however, frequently use dates, apples and other nuts.

This recipe takes the best of both and includes apples, walnuts and pistachios for texture alongside dates for smoothness and sweetness. The mixture is formed into truffle balls and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Because, ultimately, charoset is meant to be sweet and delicious.

Ingredients

  • 4 large pitted dates

  • 1 cup boiling water

  • 1 small apple, peeled, cored, and small diced

  • 1/2 cup walnuts

  • 1/4 cup pistachios

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons pear, apple, cranberry, or pomegranate juice

  • 1/4 cup sugar 

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place the dates in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Allow to sit for one hour and then remove them from the water. Doing this will rehydrate them and allow them to be mixed into a smooth paste.

  3. Peel, core, and small-dice the apple. You need very small pieces. Alternately, you can grate the apple on a large grater and set them in paper towels to drain excess moisture. Note that pureeing the apples in the food processor will make your mixture too wet.

  4. Add the walnuts and pistachios to a food processor and pulse a few times until you have very small pieces but not dust or puree. Remove from the food processor and set aside.

  5. Add the re-hydrated dates to the food processor and puree until smooth. Add the tablespoon or two of pear, apple, cranberry, or pomegranate juice to help the pureeing process.

  6. Add the processed walnuts and pistachios to the pureed dates, add the pinch of salt and pulse once or twice to incorporate. Add the small diced apples and pulse once or twice to incorporate. Be careful not to overmix.

  7. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

  8. Add the sugar and cinnamon to a shallow bowl and stir to combine.

  9. Use a 1 ounce scoop to form balls from the apple mixture and roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

  10. Place on a plate and enjoy.