Mom's Famous Charoset

Making this in the Cuisinart gives it the authentic "Mom" texture.

Mom's Regular Old Charoset

*4 apples, peeled and cored
*2/3 c. almonds or walnuts (or pecans….) - you can toast them a little beforehand if you like
*¼ c. +/- of brown or white sugar
*1 T. cinnamon
*4T sweet wine and or/ grape juice
*raisins, currants, craisins, or other dried fruit (these taste best if you soften them first – put in a mug and cover with grape juice and heat in microwave to boiling point, and then let them sit for a bit to absorb the liquid)

Chop all the ingredients in a CUISINART to taste! Add the apples closer to the end or else they will be chopped into mush! Change quantities and ingredients however you like!

Sephardic Charoset from Surinam

* ½ - 1 cup unsweetened coconut
* ½ - 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds
* ¼ c. sugar
* 1 T cinnamon
* a few cups of assorted dried fruit: raisins, apple, prunes, apricots, pears, craisins, dates, currants, etc.
* 4 oz. cherry jam
* sweet red wine or grape juice (or other juices I used some mango & orange juice too!)

1. Combine everything except jam & wine in saucepan.
2. Cover with juice(s)
3. Heat to boiling and simmer for at least 90 minutes -- periodically add small amounts of juice to prevent sticking
4. When cohesive , stir in jam, and cook for another 15 minutes or so
5. I put about 2/3 of the mixture in the Cuisinart to make it smoother and stirred it all back together