Tonka bean
Fève tonka
| Latin name | Dipteryx odorata |
|---|---|
| Family | Spices |
| Origin | Guyana & Venezuela rainforests |
| Season (France) | All year |
| Flavour | Sweet · Warm · Honeyed · Woody |
| Typical price (France) | 300–600 €/kg |
What it is
A wrinkled black seed smelling of vanilla, bitter almond, fresh hay and tobacco all at once — thanks to coumarin, the compound that got it banned from American kitchens in 1954. French pâtissiers, unbanned and unbothered, grate it over everything creamy.
In the kitchen
Use it like nutmeg, in whispers: three strokes of the grater into a warm cream, then stop. Its perfume expands as the dish cools.
Goes with
Dark chocolate Cream Coffee Hazelnut Cherry Vanilla
Same species
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