Vanilla sugar

[silentmeow]

I have been given a box of vanilla sugar, it's more like powdered sugar with vanilla. I'm trying to figure out uses for the sugar other than in my coffee or dusted on top of baked goods. I don't bake much. No one here but me to eat the results and that's just what I don't need! Thanks for you help.

[chiantiglace]

this really is a question you could throw over to the pastry side.

But to be brief and somewhat savory, its good in various types of dressings and vinaigrettes. You could use it in cooking corn. Not a bad idea with glazed carrots, beets or similar products. Compound butters could use it well.

Also Vanilla challah is good.

[godito]

Anywhere you want to add the depth of vanilla is a good place to use it. I agree with chiantiglace, it has numerous uses in pastry, but you can use it for pretty much everything.

You add some sugar to your tomato sauce? Use this one, and make some pumpkin stuffed ravioli.

Or add it to your chilli, gives it great depth and is wonderful with cornbread

[silentmeow]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I'll bet it would be good in a tomato sauce. I never thought of using it in dressings!

[AlaMoi]

I'm fond of using "vanillized" confectionery / 10X / powder / icing sugar as a dusting on tortes, flans, crepes, sweet muffins, etc . . .

somewhat common in Europe.

 

vanilla infused _granulated_ sugar is commonly available in USA - but not 10X.

 

sometime back found a Swedish supplier on Amazon - and now: "no longer available and we don't know when it will be back in stock"

can mail order from same company (Dan Sukker - not on Amazon tho) - five one pound packages . . . that's close to a lifetime supply (I'm old . . . )

 

has anyone done the "vanilla bean in a jar of sugar" trick with 10X sugar vs. granulated?

any tips?

 

and . . obtw,,, reputable (non-selling sources) cite vanilla beans from Tahiti as "the best" - deeper flavor, yadda yadda.

any experiences to that?

 

Penzy's offers one bean for $10.  uhmmmm, okay - that's not me....

so other sites offer "Grade B" beans 'suitable for infusing' - sounds good,,,,  too good to be true?

 

how many pounds/kilos/whatever will one bean infuse?

 

 

 

 

 

[pastrygirl]

19 minutes ago, AlaMoi said:

 

how many pounds/kilos/whatever will one bean infuse?

 

I've done 1kg granulated sugar to 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out, and pod cut into pieces.  Throw it all in the food processor for a minute to distribute the seeds evenly.  Shouldn't be much different for 10x.

[heidih]

I grew up with European pastries and the shaker of powdered sugar with a whole vanilla bean kept inside. Did the trick, lasted looong time.

[Jim D.]

@AlaMoi, I can't answer all your vanilla questions, but I can tell you that $10 per bean is quite high.  I get my supply from Slofood Group.  I like their Madagascar beans the best, but they have many other varieties.  I have been very satisfied with the freshness.  They have 25 Madagascar beans for $24 and offer many other price points.

[AlaMoi]

thanks @all for the input!

 

I guess I'll just get some beans and give it a go.

 

smothering a bean with granulated is well 'documented/practiced' - I'm wondering if the much finer structure of 10X will 'circulate' the vanilla aroma/flavor in a similar fashion.  I will use a largish jar/whatever so I can tumble and mix the 10X . . .