Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Homemade Vanilla Extract

fezarcha March 01, 2016 GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN

The Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas baking flavor is just some the corner and I decided to stock the pantry with baking supplies. Well, I was shocked at the increased toll of practiced lineament vanilla; some of it is equally high equally $15 for simply a few ounces!!

With that inwards mind, I decided to build my ain vanilla, although I had NO CLUE how to do it. After some Internet research, I was thrilled to learn that the process was SUPER EASY and only takes TWO ingredients (vodka in addition to vanilla beans)!!

At outset I was concerned because vanilla beans are non e'er inwards my budget. I similar McCormick build spices, but their toll for TWO vanilla beans is over $10!! Homemade vanilla extract would live on outrageously expensive at those prices, in addition to then dorsum to the Internet.

I discovered that the best vanilla extracts are NOT made out of the same form of vanilla beans that y'all bake alongside (whew!! That was a relief.). Vanilla extract is made alongside Grade B vanilla extract beans (I didn't fifty-fifty know at that spot was such a thing). Google it in addition to y'all volition detect a lot of places to purchase them. Just build certain they are labeled MADAGASCAR BOURBON EXTRACT GRADE B VANILLA BEANS.

The 6" beans aren't rattling pretty to hold off at (they aren't plump in addition to supple in addition to y'all CAN NOT bake alongside them), but they build GREAT extract. When y'all lodge them, they volition build it looking similar this:

Supplies
1 quart of vodka (see note)
4 ounces of Madagascar Grade B extract vanilla beans

This makes a LOT of vanilla, but I own got inwards heed to set it inwards pretty piffling bottles in addition to tuck it into vacation gift baskets, in addition to then a quart of extract is a practiced thing.

TIPS:
Don't waste materials your coin on expensive vodka, thinking that this volition build ameliorate vanilla...it does not. Good news!! The cheapest vodka plant simply likewise equally expensive vodka for this project!!

You volition demand a jounce that is a flake bigger than a quart since the vodka AND vanilla beans own got to lucifer inwards it (I learned that the difficult way).

Cut the aeroplane B extract vanilla beans into 1/2" pieces in addition to set them into the quart of vodka..........that's it!! Now all y'all own got to do is milkshake the bottle a piffling (every few days) in addition to later a month, it volition live on extract!! What could live on easier?

Before using the extract (or giving it away), strain the spent vanilla edible bean pieces out of the extract. If y'all don't desire ANY vanilla seeds inwards the extract, run the finished production through a java filter.

Decorative bottles similar this are available online for well-nigh $2.50 each, they would build a pretty gift.

This extract volition live on practiced forever, or until the rattling concluding drop. No demand to refrigerate it.