I have been thinking about making my own vanilla extract for a while now. I do a lot of baking and therefore use quite a bit of vanilla and at close to $12.00 for a 4 oz. bottle of good quality extract, it ends up being a major expense on the grocery budget. So after doing my research online, I finally placed an order for 1/4 lb. of Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans from Amadeus. In just a few days, I received a heavenly smelling package in my mailbox. The website states that there are at least 20 beans per quarter pound, but my package had 44 beans!
The process for making vanilla extract is very simple and only requires some good quality vanilla beans, alcohol, a dark colored glass bottle with a cork and a little patience to wait the 4-6 weeks for the extract to develop enough strength to use. I'm about 10 days into the process this will most certainly require a follow-up post, including the taste test, but so far it has been a fun project — kind of like a quirky science fair experiment and I'm getting ready to start a second batch soon so that I'll have enough homemade vanilla for Christmas gifts this season.
To make your own homemade vanilla, start with:
- 1 ounce of vanilla beans (I used ~11 beans)
- 1 cup of vodka (75-80 proof)
According to Ian at VanillaReview.com, this is the magic ratio for a good, strong flavored vanilla extract. The industry standard for vanilla extract is 0.8 ounces of vanilla per 8 ounces of alcohol, so we are striving for an even richer vanilla taste. The one ounce to one cup ratio is easy to remember too and can easily be scaled up for making larger quantities.
With a paring knife split each of the beans to expose the vanilla "caviar" and cut into approximately one-inch pieces.
Next, put all of the pieces of vanilla bean in a dark glass bottle. You can reuse an amber or green wine bottle if you want. I used an empty 12 ounce root beer bottle that I washed out and sterilized in boiling water. Use a funnel to pour the vodka over the beans.
Either cork or tightly cap the bottle and shake vigorously. Store the bottle in a dark, cool place and shake once every couple of days. The shaking helps to dislodge the caviar from the bean and creates a larger surface area for the extraction process to work.
After 10 days, my extract is a pretty amber color and has a wonderful vanilla fragrance. I can't wait for it to be ready to use for this year's holiday baking and gift giving!
For me, having an unending supply of vanilla extract is one of the best things about making your own- the chance of running out of it is super slim
Posted by: Kitchen Butterfly | October 26, 2009 at 05:03 AM