Almond

About

Almonds come in two flavor types, bitter and sweet. Bitter almond gives the strong marzipan taste found in almond extract, almond essence, and Amaretto; the extract is made from bitter almond kernels and related stone fruits like apricot and peach, and must be processed to remove cyanide before it is safe to eat. Its main flavor compound, benzaldehyde, was first synthesized in 1870 and remains the second most widely used flavoring in the world; it also occurs naturally in foods such as the prince mushroom and cassia, a relative of cinnamon. Bitter almond pairs especially well with other rose-family fruits (stone fruits, berries, apples, pears, rose itself) and is often used to boost the flavor of other nuts, sometimes detectable in green-dyed pistachio ice cream. Sweet almond, the world's most popular nut, carries only a trace of that bitter note and is otherwise mild, milky, and slightly grassy raw, turning richer and toffee-like when roasted; its soft, rounded flavor makes it highly versatile, and it is also sold as almond milk and almond butter.

Pairs well with almond

• CiLemonGround almond softens lemon's sharpness in cakes and tarts, as in England's maids of honor tarts (puff pastry with a lemon-almond…
• CiOrangeClaudia Roden's orange-and-almond cake uses nearly the whole orange-zest, pith, membranes, and juice vesicles-boiled until soft, then…
• SuGarlicAjo blanco, a cold Spanish soup, blends raw garlic with almonds, softened stale bread, olive oil, and iced water, then finishes with…
• SpCinnamonAlmond and cinnamon work well together in cakes, pastries, and cookies, and both appear in Morocco's bastilla pie, where spiced pigeon,…
• FrAppleA split almond croissant spread with cream cheese on one side and apple purée on the other makes a quick pastry reminiscent of strudel.
• RoChocolateChocolate and almond are a classic combination, as in Toblerone bars, owing to the compatible nutty notes that develop in both cocoa beans…
• CrCoconutSubstituting almond extract for about half the vanilla extract in coconut cakes, cookies, or puddings gives the same flavor-rounding…
• CiGingerGingerbread and marzipan are a classic combination associated with European Christmas markets, traditionally shaped as gingerbread…
• MaShellfishBoiled shrimp is often described as nutty, and this note becomes more distinctly almond-like when the shrimp is roasted.
• GrAniseAnise sharpens almond's mild flavor, most famously in biscotti.
• MeChickenSpanish cuisine shows Moorish influence in almond-thickened dishes like gallina en pepitoria, a festive chicken stew.
• GrChiliRomesco sauce, from Tarragona in Catalonia, blends ground almonds (and/or hazelnuts) with tomato, garlic, and the dried nora pepper-a…
• FfHoneyHoney binds ground almonds into simple marzipan, and with egg whites added becomes the base for torrone, nougat, and macaroons, giving…
• ChHard CheeseAged Cheddars such as Keen's and Montgomery carry natural almond notes, and while walnut is the more traditional cheese pairing, almonds…
• MeLambLamb and almond appear together in Moroccan dishes such as whole lamb stuffed with rice, spices, and almonds, or slow-cooked tagines.
• RoCoffeeRoasted coffee is one of the most chemically complex flavors, and its nutty character-commonly compared to walnut, but also to almond or…
• MaOily FishTrout with almonds is a classic, if divisive, combination-some cooks consider it an overly simple pairing, while others regard it as an…
• CrRaisinRaisins and almonds symbolize a happy, fertile marriage in Ashkenazi Jewish tradition, reflected in dishes like pizza ebraica, a dense…
• CrBananaToasted almond flakes are a classic finishing touch for banana split, adding crunch and nutty contrast to the dessert's sweetness.
• SuCauliflowerChefs have paired cauliflower and almond in inventive desserts, such as a cauliflower-and-almond crème caramel layering salted caramel, a…
• FrPlumAlmond liqueurs and crushed amaretti cookies intensify plum's flavor, echoing the mild bitter-almond note naturally present in plum pits…
• GrFennelWild fennel and almond combine into an anise-scented, creamy pesto.
• CrPruneRemoving the pit from a prune also removes some of its flavor; prunes with pits left in, especially canned ones, develop a bitter-almond…
• GrBuckwheatTorta di grano saraceno, a buckwheat-and-almond-meal layer cake from Italy's Trentino-Alto Adige region (called Schwarzplententorte in…
• GrKaleKale's bittersweet, mineral flavor pairs well with many of the same ingredients that complement bittersweet chocolate, including nuts,…
• BrOliveGreen olives and salted almonds are a simple, classic savory snack pairing, valued for its straightforward combination of briny and nutty…
• BeRosemaryAlmonds tossed in oil and lightly salted develop a smoky-bacon flavor that pairs well with chopped rosemary, especially served with…
• BeCranberryCranberries contain dozens of aromatic compounds, including benzenoids associated with resinous, almond-like, and balsamic notes, though…
• FrStrawberryA sauce of blended strawberries, confectioners' sugar, Amaretto, and water makes a sweet-sharp topping for ice cream or Madeira cake.
• EaBarleyOrgeat, the almond-and-flower-water syrup used in cocktails like the Mai Tai, was originally made by simmering barley with almonds in…