Making Vanilla Extract

[KatieLoeb]

Hi All:

One of my pastry chefs wants to be frugal and use the huge piles of vanilla bean casings we have left as by-product every day. I could easily order her some Everclear or over-proof vodka, but I am wondering if the alcohol content of the final product will be stronger than regular vanilla extract and if that might react differently in a recipe. Also, what other ingredients might have to go in there? Some sugar of simple syrup? Other flavorings?

If anyone has ever done this before, please let me know how so I can pass along the information.

Thanks in advance - I know someone in this creative bunch will have an answer for me.

[vengroff]

Perhaps this page of vanilla extract facts will help. There is a minimum of 35% alchohol in anything sold as vanilla extract. I would think you will need a lot of casings to make up for the flavor lost with the seeds.

[KatieLoeb]

Perhaps this page of vanilla extract facts will help.  There is a minimum of 35% alchohol in anything sold as vanilla extract.  I would think you will need a lot of casings to make up for the flavor lost with the seeds.

Thanks Vengroff!

Yeah - the other pastry chef said the same thing, but real vanilla extract is SO expensive, even if we end up using this homemade extract in something else (I'm thinking vanilla/vodka sorbet?) I suppose it's a worthy experiment nonetheless.

[melkor]

I'm in the process of trying to make vanilla extract, so far I've got a pint mason jar full of grey goose with 4 chopped up dried out vanilla beans from the back of the cabinet.

I've been checking on it every day or two and it's making reasonable progress - it's currently a very strongly flavored vanilla vodka. If in another week or two it doesn't get much stronger then we'll be drinking it

[elyse]

I've always heard that after steeping beans and scraping out the seeds, you should rinse and dry them, and put them in your sugar canister. I would even try this after trying a simple syrup, as you said.

Great site vengroff.

[Pyewacket]

I made vanilla extract in pretty bottles for Christmas gifts this year--I started them in September. The extract was ready to use in January, but it's much better now. It takes about four months for the vanilla flavor to steep into the vodka. I used the ratio of 2 vanilla beans, split to 1 cup of decent, though not expensive, vodka.

Try to use the fresh, soft and oily vanilla pods, not those crispy dried out ones. I buy them from a source on the net.

MMMM...vanilla-vodka sorbet---that sounds yummy!

Try here to order the vanilla pods-vanilla

Edited April 26, 2003 by Pyewacket (log)

[KatieLoeb]

MMMM...vanilla-vodka sorbet---that sounds yummy!

Pyewacket:

Thanks - I'm just afraid it won't freeze! I had this problem once making Vodka-Honeydew sorbet. There was just a tad too much alcohol in the mix and it wouldn't freeze solid. It did make for some very tasty "adults only" slurpees though!

PS - love your moniker. I had a friend with a cat named Pyewacket.

[tan319]

I've always heard that after steeping beans and scraping out the seeds, you should rinse and dry them, and put them in your sugar canister.  I would even try this after trying a simple syrup, as you said. 

Great site vengroff.

I have a Cambro of Vanilla sugar going at all times in my place.

I use it in creme brulee, mainly.

[estherschindler]

We've made vanilla a couple of times. We've found that it comes out better if you use _cheap_ vodka rather than decent stuff.

We chop up the vanilla beans before dumping it in the bottle. When the vanilla is all done, crunch up the bean remains and use them in vanilla ice cream.

[zilla369]

Anyone ever made vanilla extract out of anything besides clear liquor? I made some out of Maker's Mark Bourbon and it was heavenly, although it did have the added flavor of bourbon instead of just simple vanilla, so its uses were limited somewhat by that.

On the other hand, that's no help in the "frugal" production of vanilla department, now, is it? Also, i'd agree with the idea that it's going to be a pretty weak vanilla if the insides are already gone from the beans, probably not potent enough for regular use.

[jeffG]

Well I just wrote a reply and lost it. So this one is more direct and to the point. A great way to use spent vanilla beans: Vanilla sugar...

You get the most flavor and yield and the least amount of time.

When you have used beans, rinse them well, and place them on a small pan on top of the oven or in a warm place. Once dried(1-2 days in a restaurant kitchen) transfer to a container to stockpile. When you have amassed a small fortune of beans you can process them into sugar.

The ratio depends on you. A couple of beans will perfume 1-4 cups of sugar nicely. In this case, The more the better. (20 beans /4 cups sugar)

Place the beans and sugar in a food processor, process as fine as possible, then you will need to sieve this mixture a couple of times. First through a large holed China cap, then through a Tami. You may even pass again through a finer mesh sieve depending on your use.

Hope this helps

[Rachel Perlow]

I keep my mostly used vanilla pods in a spice jar filled with rum. I find vodka too harsh. It's lighter in color than pure vanilla extract, but the flavor seems to work fine.

[theakston]

Another use would be Vanilla oil. Just steep the beans in grapeseed oil. Use the oil to drizzle on seafood.

[melkor]

I thought I'd update my vanilla extract project, 4 months since my last post about it. I've now got a pint (minus a few ounces that have been used already) of stronger-than-normal vanilla extract, the vodka flavor/smell has gone away and I've just been using this extract for all things that require it. It's definitly a good way to make use of over-the-hill vanilla beans. It took about 3 months from when I started until the extract was strong enough to be useful.

[melkor]

Another six months later, I've used up the first batch of vanilla extract. We made another batch, the same way and when the first jar was empty we dumped the cut up beans into the 2nd jar. The 2nd batch is better than the first, I imagine if you start with a jar full of cut up beans you can make some unbelievably strong extract - now to find a pound of beans and someone else to pay for them...

[Betts]

I buy a use a couple of new beans as I start a new fifth of vanilla and reuse the ones from the previous batch. I love the rum base per Rachel Perlow but have had great success with Stoli.

Thanks for the updates.

[Rachel Perlow]

I'm glad you like it. I think the rum flavor compliments most things that vanilla is used for. I used a splash in some meringue cookies just yesterday.

[McDuff]

I've been checking on it every day or two and it's making reasonable progress - it's currently a very strongly flavored vanilla vodka. If in another week or two it doesn't get much stronger then we'll be drinking it

You're gonna wind up smelling like a pound cake.

[bleachboy]

You're gonna wind up smelling like a pound cake.

... and who on Earth could complain about that!?!