Make Your Own Vanilla Extract (and Vanilla Sugar)

My kitchen would be a sad place with out basic pantry items like vanilla extract and vanilla sugar. Vanilla extract was something I have always had in my mind to do because it’s used in almost every dessert we make. Some bulk Mexican vanilla beans (Mexican vanilla beans are the best), vodka, and a pretty bottle from the local kitchen store plus lots of patience was all it took to make this vanilla extract. What makes this so great is that it is so basic, and both the sugar and extract are items that you will use often. There really isn’t any reason you shouldn’t learn how to make your own vanilla extract (and vanilla sugar).

I love being inspired to try new things from the blogosphere, especially when it is something that you frequently use and gives you that satisfaction of having made it yourself. This particular adventure was inspired a few weeks ago by Zoe of Zoe Bakes, the co-author of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. She is an inspiration to me for many reasons. First, her story of how she used to come home and bake to relax from a long day at work. Her husband had seen the difference in her, and he encouraged and supported her desire to follow her passion. It is very close to my personal story, but with a slightly different ending. The real clincher for why I adore her, is she is also a local Minnesotan.

Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

There are a couple of things I want to address when making your own homemade vanilla extract. First is the easiest way to split a vanilla bean. The majority of people who use whole beans know that there is a wide side and narrow side. Most people will lay it flat with the wide side down against the board. Then they split it down the middle with the knife tip pointing at the board. This will leave you with two narrow pockets in the split pod. Then when you go to scrape the seeds out you end up with long threads of the pod pulp mixed in with the seeds, and this method can cause waste.

What you want to do is lay it flat to the board as seen below. Then fillet the bean so you end up with two wide sides with the most seeds exposed, rather then tucked away inside the pod. With a wider surface area open you can easily scrape out all the delicious seeds (with the back edge of the blade, not the sharp edge!) with no unwanted threads of pod!

You don’t have to use vodka when you make your own vanilla extract. You can also use rum or bourbon to make your own extract. Either will make a wonderful vanilla extract.

For this specific jar size (12oz) I used 5 beans. Three were split with their guts scraped into the jar along with the pod. The other two were just the split pod as the seeds were used elsewhere. I took the wise advice of Zoe and in the absence of a small funnel I used a large round pastry tip as a funnel to get the vodka in without making a mess. That woman is a genius, I tell you.

give that thing a shake!

With the beans submerged in vodka, we get to a fun part. Make sure the top is sealed tightly and then shake the living crap out the jar for about 10 seconds. Immediately you will see a color change. Now we have the hardest part; Place it in a dark cool corner of your cupboard and let it sit for 4-6 weeks before you start to use it. Every week give it a good shake to get those seeds mixed up with the good stuff. When you’ve used a fair amount of it, add a little more liquor op top it off again. If it begins to pale in color, remove a pod or two and replace them with new fresh pods.

zero to heaven in about six weeks

The final result of this batch helped produce the most amazing anglaise I have ever had. I was making an ice cream base and had to call in Frank from another room to taste it because it was just that good. He claimed he could smell the extract in the next room! This homemade vanilla extract is to die for!

Make your own Vanilla Sugar

I also had to talk about making your own vanilla sugar as it was my first must-have pantry item. I came upon vanilla sugar while watching Jamie Oliver about 6 months before I got up the nerve to make my own. About a year ago I had extra pods and did not want them to go to waste. Little did I know that making vanilla sugar is so simple! Just process the seeds and pods in a grinder or food processor with sugar (sorry I don’t have any pictures, but I’ll try to add some when I make another batch). Let it set for a week to gain some potency and it lasts for ages. What you end up with is the most fragrant and pure vanilla taste in a sugar that can be used in anything that uses sugar and vanilla together. Often replacing as little as a 1/4 of a cup of sugar in any recipe with vanilla sugar will spike that vanilla flavor up to new levels in your recipes.

My recipe for making your own vanilla sugar is more about ratios than measurements. You can use a whole vanilla pod or one where you just scraped the seeds out. NEVER reuse a bean used in a soak, like when you soak it in milk or cream when you are making a custard. Depending on the type and size of pod used the ratios change. The method however does not. I have made my sugar both ways, with whole pods and with a seedless pod (I used the seeds in a cake recipe or frosting recipe). Both produce fantastic results so next time you are stuck with extra pods and not sure what to do with them this is a great use so you have no waste.

• 1 whole pod : 2 cups sugar

Add 1 cup of sugar into a food processor. Scrape the seeds from the pod and add to the sugar. Chop up the seedless pod into about 1″ chunks and add to the food processor. Process until you do not see any large chunks of pod left. Sift the vanilla sugar into a piece of parchment paper. Add the remaining sugar and any bits left in the sieve back into the processor and blitz until well incorporated. Sift this batch onto the parchment, and if there is any large pod pieces left put back into the processor and give it a blitz. Sift onto the parchment and then with the remaining bits put into a small square of cheese cloth 2.5″x2.5″. Tie it closed tightly with some kitchen string, and place it in the bottom of the air tight container you will be using for storage of the sugar. Carefully lift up the parchment with the sugar and pour into the air tight container. Store in a cool dark place.

• 1 seedless pod : 1 cup sugar

Add 1/2 c of sugar into a food processor. Chop up the seedless pod into about 1″ chunks and add to the food processor. Process until you do not see any large chunks of pod left. Sift the vanilla sugar into a piece of parchment paper. Add the remaining sugar and any bits left in the sieve back into the processor and blitz until well incorporated. Sift this batch onto the parchment, and if there is any large pod pieces left put back into the processor and give it a blitz. Sift onto the parchment and then with the remaining bits put into a small square of cheese cloth 2.5″x2.5″. Tie it closed tightly with some kitchen string, and place it in the bottom of the air tight container you will be using for storage of the sugar. Carefully lift up the parchment with the sugar and pour into the air tight container. Store in a cool dark place

I hope you enjoyed this and you go make our own vanilla extract and vanilla sugar. With some pretty glass jars and bottles, they make awesome gifts to friends and family and once you start making your own, there’s no way you will go back to store bought!