If you bake a lot (like me)… and love vanilla (like me)…
Then you go through a lot of vanilla…
I know that I do…
So while I was Stumbling around last week I saw a recipe on how to make your own Vanilla extract… It was so easy that I just memorized how and today I bought the ingredients…
I can’t wait to see the results!
Vodka, vanilla beans and a bit of rum… (I used 6 beans for 2 cups)
pour the vodka into a mason jar…
add a bit of dark rum (if you have some) it adds a bit of sweet…
admire the vanilla beans…
split the vanilla beans…
look at the vanilla goodness….
halve them…
add the beans to the vodka…
and place in a dark cupboard and shake for about 30 seconds everyday for about 8 weeks… until ready….
Update: Here is what it looks like after a few weeks… and after 6-7 weeks I was able to start using it and haven’t looked back!
Also… I used Vanilla beans bought from my local grocery store which are highly over priced. I have found that there are better and much cheaper ways to buy Vanilla in bulk (I have bought through “organic-vanilla.com” based in the USA and “vanillafoodcompany.ca” based in Canada) so that this vanilla extract comes to not much more than the price of the alcohol used.
mmmm, I bet that smells good! I’ll have to give it a try.
Oh, that looks (and I’m sure smells) soooo good! I’ve long been using the alcohol free versions of vanilla extract so I’ll have to look and see how hard it is to make my own. Once I get through the six bottles of vanilla currently in my cupboard. I’m not sure how we accumulated so much but I think it had something to do with finding better and better varieties at new places and alcohol free can sometimees be really hard to find at anything other than an exorbitant price.
Thanks once again for sharing a more satisfying way to make something yourself. You’re a real inspiration!
I never thought that it would be so easy…
This morning it already has a beautiful amber colour… I can’t wait until I can actually use it….
Not only is it satisfying but it also is cost effective… 2 cups of vanilla extract for about 25$…
mmmm, vanilla!!! I enjoyed admiring the vanilla beans 🙂 I could just imagine how good they smelled.
I seriously can’t believe how easy that is!
I made my own recently too! With brandy, though. It’s so yummy. I just put the beans in the brandy bottle and cap it and let it sit. Then I fill the brandy bottle up with more brandy as I use the vanilla up and it goes on like that for quite awhile.
awesome alll i have to buy is the alcohol!!!!!!!! plus what a cool christmas present for next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just out of curiosity, how many vanilla beans did you use in yours??
nevermind, i see the amounts captioned on the pics now, Thanks!
[…] it is very simple, very cost-effective, and very rewarding. Check out my friend Paxye’s blog here and here for the process. Since pure extracts may still contain some sugar, corn syrup, caramel, […]
[…] never transferred my information and links over from my laptop. I was inspired by my best friend Paxye who has made vanilla extract a couple times now and a blog called Mike’s Table I saw on Food […]