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Vanilla Is Always A Winner
Who doesn’t love the sweet, intoxicating scent of warm vanilla wafting through the kitchen and slowly making its way throughout the whole home? Oh my god, I can smell it as I type this lol. Vanilla is delectable. While vanilla extract is a staple in most kitchens, there’s something truly special about using whole vanilla beans, whether to enhance a recipe or to create your own homemade vanilla extract. Today I want to dive into the various uses for vanilla beans in the kitchen and around the home, as well as how to properly make your own vanilla extract.
The Versatility of Vanilla Beans
Vanilla beans are incredibly versatile, and their uses extend beyond just flavoring desserts. Here are some creative ways to use vanilla beans in the kitchen and around the home:
In the Kitchen:
- Flavoring Baked Goods: Add scraped vanilla bean seeds to cakes, cookies, muffins, and bread for an authentic, rich vanilla flavor.
- Infusing Dairy: Use vanilla beans to infuse milk, cream, or yogurt. This is great for custards, ice creams, or homemade yogurt.
- Homemade Vanilla Extract: Make your own vanilla extract by steeping split vanilla beans in alcohol, like vodka or rum.
- Vanilla Sugar: Place a split vanilla bean in a jar of sugar for a few weeks to create vanilla-infused sugar, perfect for coffee, tea, or baking.
- Vanilla Syrup: Simmer vanilla beans with water and sugar to make a syrup that can be used in coffee, cocktails, or over pancakes.
- Infusing Spirits: Add a vanilla bean to spirits like vodka, rum, or whiskey to enhance their flavor profile.
- Vanilla Salt: Create vanilla-infused sea salt by mixing seeds with salt, ideal for sprinkling over baked goods or in savory dishes for a sweet-salty contrast.
- Homemade Vanilla Butter: Blend vanilla seeds into butter for spreading on toast, pancakes, or incorporating into sauces.
Around the Home:
- Natural Air Freshener: Place a split vanilla bean in a jar or a small bag and leave it in a room, car, or closet to naturally scent the air.
- Homemade Candles: Embed vanilla beans in homemade candles for a pleasant, warm fragrance.
- Vanilla-Infused Body Scrubs: Mix vanilla seeds with sugar or salt and oil to create a luxurious, scented body scrub.
- Scented Bath Soaks: Add vanilla beans to homemade bath salts or soaks for a calming, aromatic experience.
- Vanilla Oil: Infuse vanilla beans in a carrier oil (like jojoba or almond oil) to create a vanilla-scented body or massage oil.
- Vanilla Potpourri: Add vanilla beans to a mix of dried flowers and spices to create a soothing potpourri.
- Vanilla-Infused Cleaning Products: Add vanilla seeds to homemade cleaning sprays for a pleasant scent while you clean.
These uses highlight the versatility of vanilla beans, making them a valuable addition to both your kitchen and home.
How To Make Vanilla Extract
Making vanilla extract is a long but rewarding process. The simple act of splitting beans and placing them in alcohol for a few months to steep is quite satisfying. But how do you ensure you make a true vanilla extract and not just vanilla-flavored alcohol?
When you make a true vanilla extract, you want to ensure you use the correct ratio of vanilla beans to alcohol so that you don’t end up with a vanilla-flavored alcohol instead, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing either lol.
To make a small batch of vanilla extract, you’ll want 1 ounce of plump vanilla beans. If you’re struggling to find some, you can order them here. Next, you’ll want a high-quality alcohol. Typically, vodka is the alcohol of choice when making extract, however, you can use bourbon, brandy, whiskey, or rum. The darker spirits add a bolder note of flavor to your vanilla extract. Not sure which would be your favorite? Experimentation is the best way to learn!
The Process
Once you have your beans, an airtight bottle, and your alcohol of choice, now you put it all together to make the magic happen.
Using a sharp knife, split your beans down the middle. Make sure to use an entire ounce of beans. Place the beans in the bottle. You can also use a mason jar or any glass container with an airtight seal. Add 1 cup of alcohol to the bottle. Place the lid on the bottle and shake.
You can leave the bottle on your kitchen counter, however, make sure it stays out of direct sunlight. Be sure to give it a good shake every now and then. A good extract will steep for about 6 months but it can be used after just 3 months for baking. Personally, I highly recommend waiting the 6 months, trust me, it’s worth it.
Conclusion
There you have it! Easy and painless. Creating your own vanilla extract and exploring the various uses of vanilla beans opens up a world of flavor possibilities in your kitchen and home. Whether you’re enhancing your favorite recipes with the pure essence of vanilla or crafting homemade vanilla extract for a personal touch, the process is as rewarding as the results. By using the right ratio of beans to alcohol and experimenting with different infusions, you can enjoy a rich, authentic vanilla flavor that elevates everything from baked goods to beverages. Cheers!
Get Your Vanilla Beans
Our vanilla beans are sourced directly from a small farmer in Uganda. These beans are plump, fragrant, and delicious. Perfect for making homemade extract or baking!
