Pear & Raisin Charoses

A fresh take on Passover charoset that swaps the traditional apples and walnuts for chopped pears, dried apricots, and raisins. Bound together with honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a splash of sweet red wine, it’s bright, fruity, and lighter than the usual version.

The dried apricots do a lot of the heavy work flavor-wise. They add a chewy texture and a concentrated tartness that balances the sweetness of the honey and raisins. The pears bring a fresh, juicy crunch that keeps everything from being too dense or jammy.

Chilling for at least an hour is a must. That resting time lets the wine and honey soak into the dried fruit, softening it slightly and blending all the flavors together. Straight out of the bowl it tastes like a simple fruit salad. After an hour in the fridge, it tastes like charoset.

Kitchen Tips

• Chop the pears coarsely. Too fine and they turn to mush during chilling. You want distinct pieces with texture.
• Use sweet red wine like Manischewitz or a sweet Concord grape. Dry red wine will make this too tart.
• A squeeze of lemon juice keeps the pears from browning and adds a bright acidic note.

Variations

• Add chopped walnuts or pecans for a more traditional crunch.
• Stir in a pinch of ground ginger or cardamom for a Sephardic-inspired flavor.
• Use fresh figs in place of dried apricots when they’re in season.