A Taste of Tradition This Passover

  

This week begins the annual celebration of Passover. And in celebration of the traditional meal, or Seder, Tonia's Kitchen chatted with author Judy Bart Kancigor.  Judy wrote the book Cooking Jewish, and told Tonia about her Yemenite Haroset Truffles.  Haroset, is a ceremonial food eaten during the Seder, and it represents the labor and hardships endured by the Jewish people at the hands of a cruel ancient Egyptian Pharoah. 

To make the truffles, Judy takes dried fruit; things like figs, raisins and apricots.  She then forms the fruit into little balls using orange liqueur, and rolls it in dried almonds.  It makes for a very special holiday treat that doesn't have to be served only at Passover.

















Yemenite Haroset Truffles
Makes 16 to 20

  FOR THE TRUFFLES
⅓ cup (2 ounces) pitted dates
⅓ cup (2 ounces) dried figs
⅓ cup (2 ounces) raisins
⅓ cup (2 ounces) dried apricots
2½ tablespoons honey
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ cup toasted coarsely chopped pecans
¾ cup slivered almonds, toasted
1½ tablespoons orange liqueur

FOR THE COATING
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted and finely ground
1. Combine the dried fruit, honey, and spices in a food processor and
pulse until smooth. Add the pecans, slivered almonds, and orange
liqueur, and process until just combined.
2. Form the mixture into balls 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Roll them in
the ground almonds, and place them in individual fluted foil or paper
candy cups. Refrigerate, covered, until firm, at least 3 hours. These
will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.