Sephardic charoset incorporates dried fruit (like dates, raisins, apricots, or figs), nuts (often almonds or walnuts), and cinnamon. Ashkenazi charoset includes fresh fruit (my dad always used pears, but apples are also common), walnuts, and red wine.

This recipe fuses both versions into delicious bars that are so good, it’s hard to imagine that they are kosher for Passover! Freezer-friendly

Serves: 12
Prep: 20 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
360g superfine blanched almond flour
175g caster sugar
120ml walnut or flavourless oil
1 extra-large egg
1½ tsp kosher salt, divided
1 ripe pear or Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
14 plump Medjool dates, pitted (about 280g)
60ml dry red wine
¹⁄8 tsp ground cinnamon
60g chopped walnuts

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20 × 20-cm tin with baking parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, sugar, oil, egg, and 1 tsp of the salt until combined into a smooth dough. Remove about of 1/3rd of the dough and set aside.
• Using your hands, press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly puffed. Cool for 5 minutes.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the pear, dates, wine, cinnamon, and remaining ½ tsp salt until pasty, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed (it should resemble mortar, just like the story of the Exodus!).
• Add the walnuts to the reserved dough and mix with your fingers to combine. Spread the charoset filling over the cooled baked dough and crumble the walnut mixture over top. Bake for 18 minutes, until browned around the edges. Cut the bars into squares and store in an airtight container (use baking parchment if layering).
• Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
• Freeze individually wrapped squares for up to 2 months in a zip-top bag.

Recipe adapted from Totally Kosher (Random House) 

Recipe first published in the JC April 2023