BAKING

HIGH ON VANILLA…PUTTING THE SPIRIT BACK IN THE BEANS!

2008/08/26 / 25 Comments
“The centuries last passed have also given the taste important extension; the discovery of sugar, and its different preparations, of alcoholic liquors, of wine, ices, vanilla, tea and coffee, have given us flavors hitherto unknown.”
Jean Anthelme Brillat–Savarin

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HIC!! Had a spirited day last week; make that a highly spirited one!! Have long longed to make my own vanilla extract, pure as pure can be, after I saw a couple of enterprising bloggers who made their own & blogged about it. I saw it most recently here on a post by Coco @ Ambrosia…the post of the extract & vanilla sugar sure had me drooling. I had a bunch of vanilla beans that Rachel @ Tangerine’s Kitchen had sent earlier from Chennai which I had used up steadily over my months of baking. Begged my bewildered sis in Dallas to send me some…she sent me some ‘Madagascar’ beans (as she rubbed it in), & never let me hear the end of it. I hope she’s happy that they have finally met their maker in vodka, & have, in true spirit, happily resigned to their fate!!! (When I asked her for rennet at another time, she threatened to send me a water buffalo too). She thinks I’ve lost it completely…LOL…maybe I have, but this is therapeutic!!vanilla+beans+jpeg

Are ‘these’ vanilla beans? O for heavens sake, before Rachel couriered me some beans, I spent days in excited anticipation awaiting some plump looking, exotic & fragrant vanilla pods. I saw these gnarled out twiggy creatures, looking completely emaciated…& was pretty baffled. Then, when I was expecting the beans from the US, I thought they must be the plump ones for sure. Not a chance…just as gnarled as their Indian cousins…what a let-down! The first time I opened the bean to scrape out the tiny pods completely ignited my senses…there was the magic of this bean!! IMG 3562

The gnarly and ugly looking vanilla bean usually sold in a glass tube may look unpalatable, but once you take it out, split it open and scrape the tiny pods, the exotic aroma will knock you over. You will never want to use the artificial substitute if you can afford true vanilla. The first use of vanilla dates back to Mexico, where the Aztecs used it to create a drink called Xoco–lall, made from cocoa and vanilla beans. Cortez is credited with bringing vanilla back to Spain and soon, its use spread to other parts of Europe. Today, vanilla beans from Madagascar are the gold standard to which all others are compared.The vanilla plant, Vanilla planifolia, is a slender, green-stemmed creeping or climbing perennial of the orchid family. Cultivating vanilla beans is a lengthy and labor-intensive process, as each flower must be hand pollinated to ensure it produces a bean. To complicate matters, a flower only lives for one day. Its beans grow to between 6 and 10 inches long and resemble a green string bean.

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Vanilla Extract from Ambrosia
(I doubled the amounts)
Ingredeints:
180 ml/6 fl oz. vodka
2 vanilla beans (or more)

Method:

  • Split the vanilla beans, then cut into half and drop it into a sterilised bottle with vodka.
  • Give it a good shake everyday.
  • The extract will be ready for use in 6-8 weeks. You can let the beans remain in the bottle so it’s only get more flavourful by the day.
  • For both the extract and the sugar, you could also add used vanilla beans – they still have a tonne of flavour left.

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As I sign off this post, I’d like to say THANK YOU to Amanda @ My Finds Online for including my blog in her list of ‘50 great recipe blogs’ & for sending me this badge.

6a00e551bdbc6f883300e55406870e8834 800wiI am elated, Amanda…thanks a lot!

This post featured on

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

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25 Comments

  • Laurie

    2008/08/26 at 9:09 pm Reply

    That vanilla..WOW! And congrats on the top 50! You are definitely on my top 50..actually top 20! 🙂

  • Ivy

    2008/08/26 at 9:11 pm Reply

    I never tried real vanilla pods before but you are right from the time I used vanilla essence, I don’t want to see vanilla sugar again. I think that vanilla extract is even better than vanilla essence or am I wrong? Congrats for being nominated among the top 50 recipe blogs, you deserve it.

  • Bharti

    2008/08/26 at 10:06 pm Reply

    How wonderful Deeba, to make your own extract! I have seen many chefs on tv use the pods, but never seen the essence being made at home. I’ll pick some too next time I go shopping.

  • Mer

    2008/08/26 at 11:12 pm Reply

    Way to go! I never would have thought to make this for myself. Maybe some day I will…

    Is the result the same as extract from the store (only fresher)? Because I’ve never noticed vanilla extract to contain alcohol. Interesting.

  • Gloria (Canela)

    2008/08/26 at 11:44 pm Reply

    Dear Deeba congrats by you stay at 50!!! good new!! Hey I love vanilla extrac! I love beans too but are so cost here !!! xxxxxGloria

  • muralimanohar

    2008/08/27 at 12:03 am Reply

    Oh, lord…SIL and I have been discussing making our own real extract…I think this might be the impetus to go for it. :drool:

  • nicisme

    2008/08/27 at 1:27 pm Reply

    I absolutely love vanilla, I use the pods to make the vanilla sugar. I tried making the extract and was a tad disappointed with it. Maybe I should give it another go…

  • Tartelette

    2008/08/27 at 3:29 pm Reply

    The beauty of it is that it gets better and better with age. I keep refilling mine and adding fresh beans, taking the old ones out for vanilla sugar or dessert, always leaving a bit of the original. Works great with a darker alcohol too!

  • Alexa

    2008/08/27 at 3:40 pm Reply

    That is such a cool post Deeba. I have not made my own vanilla extract but I am totally doing this now. Thanks!

  • Krysta

    2008/08/27 at 5:00 pm Reply

    i’m so glad another blogger is making homemade vanilla extract. it’s literally life changing and you get to keep some money in your pocket also!

  • Rosie

    2008/08/27 at 5:09 pm Reply

    I have never made my own vanilla extract before and this really is great Deeba. Many congrats on the top 50 recipe blogs you deserve it so much sweetie 🙂

    Rosie x

  • Ben

    2008/08/27 at 5:16 pm Reply

    Now I really need to make my own vanilla extract. I just found a store online that sells vanilla pods for a very fair price. Very nice post my friend! 😀

  • coco

    2008/08/27 at 7:07 pm Reply

    Oh I have the same beans! A friend at work says they have a farm in Kerala where they grow the so she’s going to get me a bunch!

  • Pearlsofeast

    2008/08/28 at 1:02 am Reply

    Wonderful idea Deeba,homemade vanilla extract, what can be better than this, great post dear.

  • Manggy

    2008/08/28 at 5:42 am Reply

    We cultivate Tahitian vanilla beans here, and they’re very plump! I’ve yet to make extract out of them (they’re still in the vacuum package!)

  • Bellini Valli

    2008/08/29 at 7:12 pm Reply

    First of all your post is packed with information Deeba.Also congratulations on your award as well. You are at the top of my list as well:D

  • Jeanne

    2008/09/02 at 2:02 pm Reply

    I would have filed “making your own vanilla extract” under “far too ambitious” – but you make it seem quite achievable. Great post!

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