vanilla extract

vanilla extract
make about 1 cup

I’ve been meaning to make my own vanilla extract for years but have been putting it off because I thought it was going to be difficult.

If only I’d known how wrong I was, I would have started years ago. It couldn’t be simpler. Just pop some vanilla beans in a jar with some booze and wait.

3-5 vanilla beans
1 cup vodka or other alcohol

1. Halve vanilla beans crosswise then cut down the length of each half. Scrape the seeds out from the middle and place in a clean jar about 1 cup capacity.

2. Place beans in the jar. Fill with vodka. Seal.

3. Store for about 8 weeks before using, shaking every few days or whenever you think about it.

4. As you use the extract, continue to top up with more vodka and vanilla beans.

shelf life?

Takes about 8 weeks before it’s ready. Then wIll keep indefinitely. Just keep adding beans and alcohol and discarding the older softer beans if the jar gets too full.

variations for fun

rum – replace vodka with white or brown rum.

bourbon – replace vodka with white or brown rum.

alcohol-free – if you don’t like using alcohol in your cooking, you can make vanilla sugar instead. Just pop a vanilla bean or two in an airtight jar full of regular or caster sugar and leave in the pantry for a few weeks. Use in your baking instead of sugar whenever you feel like a vanilla flavour boost.

old beans – if you use a lot of vanilla beans, don’t worry about buying new beans to make your extract. Just rinse your beans after you’ve used them to infuse milk, cream or whatever. Pat them dry and then use as per the recipe.

If you’ve scraped out the seeds and used in another recipe, there’s still loads of flavour in the beans so put them to work in your extract or vanilla sugar.

problem solving guide

can’t find vanilla beans? – In Australia you can get them from the spice section of most supermarkets. When I was growing up through we had to make a special trip to the health food shop for them. Herbies spices have an online store and will ship most places.

vanilla extract flavour not strong enough – it all depends on the quantity and quality of the beans you use as well as the time allowed for infusion. Either add more beans or just wait longer before starting to use your extract.

vanilla extract flavour too strong – either use less in your baking OR dilute by removing some beans and adding more alcohol.

mould growing in extract – with all that alchohol it’s unlikely, but if it does happen, transfer beans to a clean jar and make sure the beans are well covered with alcohol. Also it’s super important that any beans you add to the extract are clean and dry.

suggested uses

Wonderful in baking. Use anywhere that calls for vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or vanilla essence.

I love to make my own vanilla yoghurt by mixing vanilla extract into full cream natural yoghurt. Sometimes I sweeten with a little sugar or stevia. Sometimes I keep it all about the vanilla.

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