Cherry Almond Squares - no artificial anything in this recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Does almond extract come from cherries? ›

According to the American Food and Drug Administration, natural almond extract is made from cassia bark, whereas pure almond extract is made using bitter almonds, or kernels from cherries, peaches, plums, or apricots.

Cherry and almond are fairly closely related, and both have a distinct flavor of benzaldehyde. Some almond extracts are even made from cherry pits. So that is likely the flavor association you're getting.

Almonds are more closely related to cherries than cashews and other nuts. Both almond and cherry trees are members of the Prunus genus which includes other popular stone fruit trees like the plum, peach, apricot and nectarine.

Although almond extract provides a unique flavor that is difficult to recreate, there are many substitutes you can use that will only slightly alter the flavor of your dish. Vanilla extract is the closest substitute listed here, and is least likely to change the flavor outcome of your dish.

Pure almond extract is made from almonds, or from the pits of stone fruits that have been cold pressed and combined with alcohol and water. Imitation almond extract, on the other hand, is made from synthetic materials made to taste like the flavor extracted from the almonds or stone fruits.

Artificial almond extract contains no almonds and is therefore safe for those with an almond allergy. However, people with nut allergies should always consult with an allergist if they are unsure and should always carry an EpiPen with them.

Benzaldehyde and similar chemicals occur naturally in many foods. Most of the benzaldehyde that people eat is from natural plant foods, such as almonds. Almonds, apricots, apples, and cherry seed contain significant amounts of amygdalin.

The bitterness and toxicity of wild almonds come from a compound called amygdalin. When ingested, this compound breaks down into several chemicals, including benzaldehyde, which tastes bitter, and cyanide, a deadly poison.

What is the chemical in almond extract? ›

To make almond extract, you just need water, alcohol, and bitter almond oil. The most important component of that last ingredient is a chemical called benzaldehyde. It chiefly imparts a strong almond flavor and is found in all drupe seeds — hence the drupe dupe that almond extract is able to pull off.

Cherry flavour (Benzaldehyde) was 1st developed to taste not like fresh cherries, but Maraschino 🍒. These are made w both fruit & an infusion of the pips, which taste like almonds. (The two plants are closely related).

Because of a compound called benzaldehyde and very likely smaller amounts of close derivatives. Benzaldehyde is present in cherries and almonds.

McGill also explains that almonds, as a drupe, grow inside of a hull within a fleshy fruit and must be shelled to be enjoyed, which is why they are seeds instead of nuts. Peaches and mangoes also fall into this category, but people tend to eat those for the flesh rather than the seed inside.

To most folks, cherry pits are an annoyance with no value of their own, but that needn't be the case. Though they may not look like much, those pits still have plenty of moisture and flavor that sugar can coax out into a bright and colorful syrup.

The chopstick method

Gently but firmly press the chopstick down into the pit and push it out of the cherry. If you're having a hard time steadying the cherry, place it on the mouth of an empty small glass bottle (i.e. glass cola or beer bottle) and push the pits out into the bottle.

To make your own, you'll bring sugar, water, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract to a simmer. The teaspoon of almond extract gives the cherries their signature maraschino taste. Once the mixture has reached a simmer, you pour it over pitted cherries and leave it to cool.

For oil extraction, the cold pressing method is usually used; however, sweet almonds are also suitable for hot pressing. First, the almonds are cleaned of impurities and their shells. The pre-cleaned seed is gently preheated to pressing temperature and then fed to a screw press.