Tonka Beans

The Tonka bean is the fruit of the Dipteryx tree. It usually comes from Latin countries, where it is called Kumaru. It is black and wrinkled in appearance and its interior is a soft brown color. The taste of the tonka bean is strongly associated with its aroma. In the aromatic profile of tonka fruit, aromas of vanilla, cherry, almond and something spicy - something like cinnamon can be detected. When served cold – say, over tonka bean ice cream – it tastes like a dark honey vanilla toffee. When warm, perhaps grated over scallops, it moves towards spiced vanilla. Furthermore, the aroma of tonka bean scrub (as it is almost always used as a scrub) is so strong and stimulating that it seems to impart an actual taste in the way that opium, which has no taste in the traditional sense, "tastes" like its rich, floral smoke.

Tonka beans are traditionally used in confectionery, distilling and perfumery. An infinitesimal amount is more than enough to flavor a quantity of ice cream. It can be used in chocolate soufflés, chocolate pies, refined sweets and drinks.