Vanilla beans for use in extract and paste.
Homemade vanilla extract and paste will liven up your cakes, cookies, ice creams and other recipes. The effort to bring beans from the vanilla orchid to your market requires pollination of every flower by hand. This labor-intensive growing requirement means that real vanilla beans come at a high price, but their flavor more than makes up for the cost.
Instructions
Vanilla Extract
1. Split eight vanilla beans lengthwise down the center. Leave the seeds in the pods.
2. Place the vanilla beans into the bottom of a pint glass jar.
3. Fill the jar with vodka, almost to the top, to completely cover the beans.
4. Tightly seal the jar and store in a dark, cool pantry.
5. Let the vanilla extract cure for at least two months before use, shaking the jar weekly and just before using in your recipes.
Vanilla Paste
6. Split four vanilla beans lengthwise down the center, leaving the seeds inside the pods.
7. Lay the bean halves in a single layer on a sheet of parchment or wax paper in a cool, dry place. Air dry the vanilla beans until brittle. This usually takes anywhere from two days to a week.
8. Transfer the dried beans to a spice grinder and pulse several times until the beans become a powder.
9. Combine the vanilla bean powder with the corn syrup in a mixing bowl.
10. Store the homemade vanilla paste in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Tags: vanilla beans, beans lengthwise, beans lengthwise down, down center, extract paste
