I am a baker! Because I am a baker I tend to use a lot of vanilla extract. Unfortunately, I often find myself with an empty brown plastic bottle devoid of nothing more than the aroma of vanilla. So a few weeks back I found a recipe for homemade vanilla extract and decided to try my hand at crafting my own.
I’m happy to report the experiment to be a resounding success.
Caution: It does take a bit of pre-planning and will power. The pre-planning stage is you have to wait a month before its usable. So make sure your favorite brown bottle is partially full before you take on How to make you own Vanilla Extract.
(The will-power comes in on the side of not drinking the ingredients prior to or during the making of this recipe. But I won’t tell if you don’t!)
Are you ready to try?
It’s really quite simple. And I for one will never buy store bought vanilla extract again.
How to Make your own Vanilla Extract
Ingredients:
8 oz. Vodka or your favorite liquor of choice. Brandy or whiskey are other good choices. If you prefer a darker colored extract, go with the darker liquor
10 vanilla beans, lightly sliced down the middle.
Place in a mason jar or any glass jar with a lid and place in a cool dark place. You will want to protect the extract from direct sun exposure.
Shake weekly to ensure vanilla beans stay covered with liguor.
Allow to infuse for 3 to 4 weeks.
I opened my extract after 2 weeks and it was very weak. At the four week mark, it was perfect.
Oh, and don’t forget about it. Make sure your cool, dark place is still visible or your might end up with a vanilla syrup.
Vanilla extract will continue to mature. I like to leave a vanilla bean or two in my bottle for both extra flavor and esthetics.
A small decorative bottle with a tight-fitting cork filled with your homemade extract makes a great gift for the baker in your life. Who knows, you might inspire them to bake more cookies!
How easy is that?
I hope you enjoyed this simple tip on Making your own Vanilla Extract. Please feel free to share with your friends.
If you have any suggestions for future posts that you would like to see, please take a moment and leave a comment. I’m always up for a challenge.
Thanks again for taking the time to visit The Bee Queen!
P. S. Don’t toss those used beans. That work great in homemade vanilla bean ice cream!