What is the sweet paste on the Seder plate that symbolizes mortar? Charoset is the sweet paste associated with mortar.
Charoset is a dark, sweet mixture made from fruits, nuts, spices, and sometimes wine or juice. Recipes vary widely by Jewish community. Ashkenazi versions often use apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and sweet wine, while Sephardi and Mizrahi recipes may include dates, figs, raisins, sesame, or other regional ingredients.
Its color and texture recall the mortar or mud used by the Israelites in the biblical story of slavery in Egypt. Charoset therefore carries a tension at the Seder: it evokes harsh labor, yet its sweetness also suggests hope and freedom. It is eaten during the ritual meal, often with maror or in the korech sandwich.
Charoset is commonly confused with maror, but the two have contrasting roles. Maror is bitter and represents the bitterness of slavery; charoset is sweet and paste-like. Beitzah is the roasted egg, and karpas is the vegetable dipped early in the Seder.