Adeena Sussman

This fusion of many Sephardic recipes makes an extremely realistic “mortar.” The nuts and spices can be varied to suit individual tastes.

In addition to its traditional role on the Seder plate, this charoset is delicious as a condiment for duck or roast beef.

Although major brands of crystallized ginger list only sugar and ginger in the ingredients, crystallized ginger cannot be purchased with kosher-for-Passover certification. If you choose to omit this ingredient, increase the fresh ginger by one teaspoon and add 2 extra teaspoons of honey. This recipe is best served within a few hours of preparation.

This recipe produces a slightly dry, chunky charoset. If you prefer a more moist version, add extra wine, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the desired consistency.

This slight variation on traditional Ashkenazi charoset calls for deep-frying the walnuts and coating them with sugar. The nuts stay crispier in the final product and have a pleasant, toasty flavor.