Homemade Vanilla Extract

The Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas baking flavour is just around the corner and I decided to stock the pantry with baking supplies. Well, I was shocked at the increased cost of expert character vanilla; some of it is every bit high every bit $15 for simply a few ounces!!

With that inwards mind, I decided to build my ain vanilla, although I had NO CLUE how to exercise it. After some Internet research, I was thrilled to learn that the process was SUPER EASY and only takes TWO ingredients (vodka as well as vanilla beans)!!

At outset I was concerned because vanilla beans are non e'er inwards my budget. I similar McCormick build spices, but their cost for TWO vanilla beans is over $10!! Homemade vanilla extract would last outrageously expensive at those prices, as well as then dorsum to the Internet.

I discovered that the best vanilla extracts are NOT made out of the same sort of vanilla beans that yous bake alongside (whew!! That was a relief.). Vanilla extract is made alongside Grade B vanilla extract beans (I didn't fifty-fifty know in that location was such a thing). Google it as well as yous volition honour a lot of places to purchase them. Just build certain they are labeled MADAGASCAR BOURBON EXTRACT GRADE B VANILLA BEANS.

The 6" beans aren't rattling pretty to hold back at (they aren't plump as well as supple as well as yous CAN NOT bake alongside them), but they build GREAT extract. When yous social club them, they volition build it looking similar this:

Supplies
1 quart of vodka (see note)
4 ounces of Madagascar Grade B extract vanilla beans

This makes a LOT of vanilla, but I own got inwards take away heed to set it inwards pretty piddling bottles as well as tuck it into vacation gift baskets, as well as then a quart of extract is a expert thing.

TIPS:
Don't waste materials your coin on expensive vodka, thinking that this volition build improve vanilla...it does not. Good news!! The cheapest vodka plant simply also every bit expensive vodka for this project!!

You volition demand a jounce that is a flake bigger than a quart since the vodka AND vanilla beans own got to gibe inwards it (I learned that the difficult way).

Cut the flat B extract vanilla beans into 1/2" pieces as well as set them into the quart of vodka..........that's it!! Now all yous own got to exercise is milk shiver the bottle a piddling (every few days) as well as later a month, it volition last extract!! What could last easier?

Before using the extract (or giving it away), strain the spent vanilla edible bean pieces out of the extract. If yous don't desire ANY vanilla seeds inwards the extract, run the finished production through a java filter.

Decorative bottles similar this are available online for almost $2.50 each, they would build a pretty gift.

This extract volition last expert forever, or until the rattling end drop. No demand to refrigerate it.