Tropical Charoset Truffles
These charoset truffles come from the Jewish community of Curaçao, one of the oldest Jewish communities in the Americas. While they are largely comprised of the same key ingredients as Moroccan and Iraqi charosets – dried fruits and nuts – they have a uniquely tropical flavour which sets them apart.
The peanuts and toasted coconut bring bright nuttiness that pair perfectly with the citrus notes of the orange zest and lime juice in this delicious recipe. The inclusion of peanuts, which are legumes and not nuts, means that these truffles are not kosher for Passover for Ashkenazi Jews who don’t eat kitnyot, but while it will have an impact on the flavour, the peanuts can easily be subbed for almonds or walnuts.
Ingredients
½ cup (60 grams) pitted dates
½ cup (88 grams) pitted prunes
½ cup (71 grams) raisins
½ cup (76 grams) dried figs
1 ½ cups (227 grams) unsalted peanuts
½ Tbsp orange zest (the zest of one large orange)
½ cup (113 grams) packed dark brown sugar
⅛ cup honey
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp sweet kosher wine or grape juice
⅛ cup lime juice or orange juice
Toppings for the charoset truffles
¼ cup ground cinnamon and/or 1 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted
directions
Add the dried fruits, nuts, and orange zest to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse on high until you have coarse crumbs that stick together if you press the mixture between your fingers.
Place the mixture in a large bowl and mix in the brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, wine or grape juice, and lime juice or orange juice.
Spread the toasted coconut flakes on a large plate and/or the ground cinnamon on another large plate. Roll the charoset, 1 tablespoon at a time into a ball, and roll in the toasted coconut and/or the cinnamon.
The charoset truffles can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
