What to use instead of sweet woodruff
Quick answer
The closest option is Tonka bean, rated situational. The same compound, coumarin, carries both aromas, so the hay-and-vanilla character comes through. Tonka is far stronger and is grated in tiny amounts.
It will not do for: Anywhere in the United States, where tonka is prohibited as a food ingredient; May wine, where the spring herb is the custom.
All recorded options
Ranked by suitability. Ratios are given only where they are defensible, and always with their basis — by weight or by volume — because spice densities differ.
Tonka bean
SituationalThe same compound, coumarin, carries both aromas, so the hay-and-vanilla character comes through. Tonka is far stronger and is grated in tiny amounts.
| Flavour | Aroma | Colour | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| close | close | different | similar |
Works for
- Custards and ice cream
- Syrups
Does not work for
- Anywhere in the United States, where tonka is prohibited as a food ingredient
- May wine, where the spring herb is the custom
Both carry coumarin, and a substitution that raises the dose defeats the purpose of using woodruff sparingly; a few gratings of tonka at most.