Steenbergs Tonka Beans 10g Mini Jar details and description
Steenbergs Tonka Beans are the seeds of Dipteryx oderata, which originates from Guyana on the Orinoco River. Today, the main sources of tonka beans are Nigeria and Venezuela and Steenbergs come from either Brazil or Venezuela. For more information see Axel's blog.
The Tonka Nut looks like a flat, wrinkled deep black bean/nut with a shape that is reminiscent of an almond and a look that is a cross between a prune and date, or perhaps a small leathery thumb. Steenbergs Tonka Beans have a flavour and aroma that is full of volatiles and immediately remiscent of vanilla but with more esters coming through like pear drops or a heady furniture polish, with hints of magnolia and other warming, sweet spices notes like cinnamon, cloves and allspice. For more on tonka beans, look at
Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages.
Tonka beans are used in French cuisine and sometimes for perfumes, and even flavouring tobacco. A little goes a long way as Steenbergs tonka beans are very specialist and very strong - completely decadent and slightly naughty. You use tonka beans like a nutmeg and grate them, so you could cook with tonka beans as a garnish over coffee or into cream or over stewed rhubarb. For more culinary inspiration, take a look at the
BBC website or
Tonka Bean Macarons or
Tonka Bean Cookies.
Warning: it does contain coumarin which some people worry about as a possible carcinogen.
Steenbergs Tonka Beans are part of Steenbergs mission to find the best and most exotic of culinary ingredients for the British home chef. Steenbergs range includes well over 400 individual organic herbs, spices, salts, peppers, chillis, extracts and flower waters as well as gourmet and speciality loose leaf teas and herbal infusions. For more information, browse our website or call us on 01765 640 088 or email to
enquiries@steenbergs.co.uk.
Spice - season - savour with Steenbergs
