Recipe below!
So I had to wait a while to post this one so I wouldn’t spoil the gift-giving surprise, but this homemade vanilla extract was super easy (and super economical) to make. You could probably still make it now and have it looking decent by Christmas, too. My sister in law liked this idea so much, she took it a step further and made three times as many as I did. Plus, it keeps for about a year and just gets better and better the more you let it steep. I got the idea from the Dalai Mama, Catherine Newman, so I can’t claim that this was all me. But her original article and links required a little extra research. Vanilla, for example, being the second most expensive spice in the world can be hard to find in the quantities that you need. And then you have to choose types. Oh, so many types to choose from. In my googlicious travels, I came across Garrett at Vanilla Garlic who not only tested and provided a guide in 2006, but recently updated the article: ‘Know Your Vanilla – A Guide to Vanilla Varieties’. From Madagascar to Tahitensis and Planifolia Blends, this guy knows his vanilla pods.
So here are my notes, followed by the “recipe”. It’s easy, really. Just takes a smidgen of prep by shopping online. Worst case scenario, you’re looking at $4-6 per bottle, delicious vanilla extract to bake with, and some leftover vodka for your celebratory cocktail when you’re done.
Choosing the Beans:
So we all know how expensive vanilla extract can be. My personal favorite, and the one that I’ve been loyal to for at least 5 years has been the Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, but the price has always been shocking. So once you’ve made it through Garrett’s notes on the different kinds, try visiting Beanilla Trading Company. When I was shopping around, these guys had the best deals on offer, so I would recommend looking around whenever you’re ready to try this yourself. Beanilla did have excellent deals on plenty of varieties (other sources reported that Tahitian, Bourbon or Madagascar would work out best), as well as getting a standing ovation from Garrett, plus I can definitely vouch for their shipping and handling of orders. In no time at all, and right on schedule, my house was smelling like vanilla in every freaking room.
Choosing the Bottles:
Again, I shopped around, but things couldn’t be simpler than visiting Specialty Bottle. Again, an A+ when it comes to handling my order, no delays, and the bottles were lovely. Only trouble was, I meant to buy clear ones, and as the picture shows, I accidentally put amber ones in my cart. This happened to my sister-in-law, too, but at another website. She ended up with plastic instead of glass. So pay attention, double and triple check your order before placing it. The plastic bottles, I must say, looked very nice indeed and were a blessing in disguise since she’s flying to Texas to deliver them as Christmas gifts. Glass would have been much heavier and less kind on her luggage allowance (as well as potentially spilling all over her clothes and making her smell like alcoholic cookies, forever). Whichever bottles you decide to go for, you can even add that extra professional flair by adding these easy-to-install shrink bands. I’ve never tried them, but they look cool.
Choosing the Booze:
So originally I thought this would be a super-simple case of finding the cheapest vodka on the shelf and necking it using that. Not so.
I found an awesome conversation on a Chowhound messageboard : “The FDA specifies that pure vanilla extract contain 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon during extraction and a 35% alcohol/65% water mixture. (70 proof)…” was what I took away from this site, but often lesser brands (lesser known than Skyy or Smirnoff) use a different distillation process because of the US tax levels on alcohol. Sometimes they’ll use a form of “freeze distillation” to increase the alcohol levels. Meaning it’s not as pure/natural/good. So although the Dalai Mama went with Skyy, I reached for the tried and tested Smirnoff. I’m not a vodka connoisseur per se, but I’ve tasted some nasties (literally, one that actually burned through a plastic cup while I was holding it) and thought, well, there’s bound to be some left over anyways.
There you go, kiddies, a lesson on why one should never skimp when purchasing vodka.
THE RECIPE:
So easy, I feel guilty calling it a recipe.
Ingredients:
1 2-litre bottle of vodka
a dozen nice 4 oz. bottles with screw-on caps
24 whole and fresh vanilla pods of your choosing
Tools of the Trade:
1 very sharp knife
a funnel
a 1 cup measuring cup
Directions:
1) Sterilize the bottles. This basically means running them through the dishwasher on their own and leaving them to dry.
2) Taking a sharp knife, slit open the belly of 2 to 2 1/2 vanilla pods (per bottle). Working with the tip of your knife, loosen the beads within from end to end.
3) Cut the pods to fit your bottles, and stick them in!
4) Using a measuring cup and a funnel, pour 3/4 to 1 cup of vodka into each bottle.
5) You’re almost done! Seal the bottles with their caps and store them in a cool dark area out of direct sunlight. Every week, or whenever you remember, give them a little shake to loosen the vanilla beans further.
The longer you leave these babies, the darker they’ll become and the more potent the extract. I used mine within 3 months for baking and the results were l.o.v.e.l.y.
Happy Vanilla Extract Making!!!
