Tuesday is Tasty

Homemade Vanilla Extract

A few years ago, I was given some homemade vanilla for Christmas. Just smelling it delivered instant happiness! (Note: I am a huge fan of smells. Just give me some almond extract sometime.... *bliss*)  Anyway, my friend told me how she made it; knowing the process made it more of a special gift.

Recipe:

1     bottle vodka or rum, lL

10   vanilla beans

       time

Some notes before we begin: the liquor does not need to be the most expensive on the shelf. The vanilla beans are a lot cheaper if you get them online. Also, you can find other instructions online if you are curious about different ratios and such.

1. Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise from top to bottom; you do not need to cut all the way through.

2. Place the vanilla beans in the liquor bottle, swirl the contents inside and place on a shelf where the temperature is constant. Swirl every several days. The beans will need to soak for 3-6 months. The longer it sits, the more vanilla flavor seeps into the alcohol.

Ending notes: 

• Sean checked the alcohol content of the vodka we got, and the Kirkland Signature vanilla extract from Costco. Costco's vanilla has more alcohol. (That made me feel a little better...) 
• The vanilla seems to get more potent in food the longer it sits. For instance, if we are making a cookie dough and save some in the refrigerator for a day or two, it has a stronger vanilla flavor. That may be because we have Mexican vanilla beans. In those cases, I use the cheap vanilla from the store.
• I have heard you can reuse your vanilla beans. After our bottle is used up, we will try putting them in a fresh bottle of vodka and see how it works. In the long run, it seems to be a worthy investment.
• Using homemade vanilla is a happy experience. The aroma is so divine!