Bessie and I do a lot of baking (which I am sure comes as no surprise, based on the interminable cooking posts). This means we tend to use a good deal of vanilla extract.
Several times I’d read on ask.metafilter.com (as I have said before – my source for everything, so worth the $5 sign-up fee) that one could make vanilla extract with very simple ingredients.
I know! Who knew?
I’d been planning to give this a go for a while and decided now was time to carpe the diem. So, this afternoon, armed with supplies:
cheap vodka | vanilla beans | air-tight bottle ($2)
And a recipe from simply recipes, I began the extremely arduous vanilla extract preparation process:
And in less than 5 minutes it was bottled and ready for storage (in a dark place).
I’ll report back in two months and see how it compares with the queen version, which is our usual pantry staple.
I think the best part of this (if it works) is that you can keep topping the bottle up with vodka indefinitely!
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ZOMG! I just clicked on one of the links in the recipe and found beanilla. I want to buy everything there! (I’ll bet shipping is about $87 billion).
<edited to add> I was close, shipping is insane. Damn you antipodes!
Homemade vanilla extract is The Best! If you like it with vodka, try dark rum or bourbon sometime; they’re great with all sorts of baked goods.
Thanks Amy! (and if I might get all fan-girly for a second … I love your blog!)
I have an additional tiny bottle & some vanilla pods laying about from the first experiment, so may give one of those a bash in the next day or so and compare all three.
OMG I am going to make vanilla extract! (one day…)
Harriet!!
Yes, you totally should. I now have bourbon & vanilla & I’m not afraid to use it.
And I really will email you, I promise.