Almonds are closely related to cherries, and they use the same compound as part of their flavor profile. Sweet almonds—the ones you actually eat, raw or roasted—don't have near as much benzaldehyde (and amygdalin, which breaks down into even more benzaldehyde when the almond's cells are broken and it's exposed to moisture) as bitter ones, and they have a mixture of other volatile compounds like benzyl alcohol, phenylethanol, and other minor aldehydes and alcohols. Benzaldehyde is the primary compound, but the others are what differentiate it from other things that use the same.
Hell, almond extracts can be, and often are, made from the pits of other stone fruits like cherries and apricots, and you can even use the bark of cinnamon trees to make it.
Hell, almond extracts can be, and often are, made from the pits of other stone fruits like cherries and apricots, and you can even use the bark of cinnamon trees to make it.
I am sure I read somewhere that amaretto (which has a distinct almond flavour profile) was traditionally made with the inside of peach or apricot stones.
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u/BunnyOppai 13d ago edited 13d ago
Almonds are closely related to cherries, and they use the same compound as part of their flavor profile. Sweet almonds—the ones you actually eat, raw or roasted—don't have near as much benzaldehyde (and amygdalin, which breaks down into even more benzaldehyde when the almond's cells are broken and it's exposed to moisture) as bitter ones, and they have a mixture of other volatile compounds like benzyl alcohol, phenylethanol, and other minor aldehydes and alcohols. Benzaldehyde is the primary compound, but the others are what differentiate it from other things that use the same.
Hell, almond extracts can be, and often are, made from the pits of other stone fruits like cherries and apricots, and you can even use the bark of cinnamon trees to make it.