Almonds are the fruit of the almond tree. This is a tree native to Asia. It grows up to 5 meters high, its bark is dark and cracked, its stem is smooth, green and sometimes yellow when young. There are many varieties of almonds, but they can be divided into two large groups: soft shell and hard shell. The most commons are:
- Marcona is the best known variety. A round and fat almond, sweet and with a low percentage of bitterness. It is one of the most used, the most expensive and the most demanded by the baking and nougat industry.
- The mollar almond has a soft shell that is easy to break and has a certain percentage of double almonds.
- Bitter almond is poisonous because it contains amygdaloside (amygdalin), a cyanogenic glucoside.
The almond is an oval-shaped dried fruit, ending in a slight point, it has a white color on the inside, that is, the fleshy part. They are covered by a very thin brown skin and protected by a hard and resistant shell. Its flavor is soft and sweet, with a buttery texture. It can be found both with or without shell. These are produced all year round, although they are cooler in the summer.
