Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Tonka Bean
Analysing hundreds of thousands of recipes uncovers tonka bean's optimal flavour pairings.
Tonka bean is defined by the unmistakable flavours of vanilla and balsam, but beneath its sweetness lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as cinnamon, caramel, and hay, that give it remarkable depth. The key to finding the perfect pairing for tonka bean is understanding how these notes harmonise.
To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our analysis reveals, for example, how cider vinegar's acetic tones ground tonka bean, and how cocoa powder's cocoa notes create a surprising synergy with its sweet aroma.
Flavour Profile Of Tonka Bean Across 150 Dimensions Of Flavour
An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. woody, floral, and nectarous) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.
Flavour Pairing Method
To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.
Our analysis shows that the flavour of vanilla is strongly associated with the flavour of cocoa. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a cocoa flavour, such as cocoa powder, when pairing with the vanillic accents of tonka bean.
The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing tonka bean with cocoa powder.
Harmonious Flavours Of Tonka Bean
Just as our analysis revealed that vanilla and cocoa flavour notes combine harmoniously, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the notes present in tonka bean. For instance, the balsam flavours of tonka bean are strongly associated with tannic and charred notes.
The aromas associated with the various aromas of tonka bean can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.
Flavour Profile Of Tonka Bean And Its Complementary Flavour Notes
Matching Flavour Profiles
The flavour profile of cider vinegar offers many of the aromas complementary to tonka bean, including acetic and malic aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of cider vinegar has many of the of the features that are complementary to tonka bean, they are likely to pair very well together.
Prominent Flavour Notes Of Cider Vinegar Are Represented By Longer Bars
The chart above shows the unique profile of cider vinegar across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with tonka bean.
Recipes That Pair Tonka Bean With Cider Vinegar
Linked Flavour Notes
Looking at the notes that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of tonka bean, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.
The Flavour Notes That Harmonise With Tonka Bean And The Ingredients That Share Some Of These Notes
Tonka bean's Strongest Flavours
Complementary Flavours
Ingredients with Complementary Flavours
Flavour groups:
Nectarous
Acidic
Floral
Herbal
Vegetal
Maillard
Earthy
Woody
The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of tonka bean, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma accents complementary to tonka bean.
What To Drink With Tonka Bean
The gentian notes in bitter make it a perfect pairing with tonka bean. Likewise, the malic flavours in dry cider create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of tonka bean below.
The content on our analysis blog is semi-automated. All of the words were manually written by a human, but the content is updated dynamically based on the data.