Making vanilla extract question

[Billie_in_W._CO]

I really want to try this but a few recipes I've found are not real clear to me as what to do. Maybe, I'm reading them wrong, somehow!

I've seen to use brandy or vodka. Which one or maybe try both?

Do I just put the vanilla bean in as is(how many--1 or 2) or do I spilt it or what? Local grocery store is doing away with a certain brand of spices and I got a couple bottles of v. beans, real cheap. So I thought I would try this.

Any guidance would be appreciated!

[Shamrock1121]

I've made vanilla in vodka, peach brandy, cherry brandy, and coconut rum, so I guess it will work in "hooch" of nearly any variety. I'd say vodka and cherry brandy are my favorites. It just depends on what you want for a background taste - along with the vanilla flavoring. The cherry brandy/vanilla was wonderful when added to homemade chocolate pudding or chocolate ice cream. We liked the coconut rum/vanilla added to homemade vanilla ice cream or anything with coconut in it. But for a neutral flavor, use vodka, and plain brandy is okay as well.

You'll find variances on the subject, and they all work, but here's how I do it. I order vanilla beans from eBay - great prices. Tahitian beans were absolutely the most wonderful smell and taste. Madagascar were pretty good, as well. I put 3-4 beans in a pint-size bottle of vodka. You take a paring knife and with the knife tip, run it all the way down the length of the bean (through one side of the bean, not all the way through), then open the bean slightly. You'll notice a thick, seedy, substance. That's where all the flavor is. Then cut the bean into 2 or 3 pieces - this will depend on how long the bean is (some are 6- to 10-inches long), and how tall the bottle of vodka is. Allow to sit in a dark cabinet for at least 6 weeks before using. You can give it a shake every now and again to redistribute the contents.

I always leave one or two beans whole, but cut the length of the bean, and open it up slightly. The whole bean can be removed and used for really intense vanilla flavor using this method to strip the vanilla from the bean. Take the bean from the vodka bottle. Hold it at one end with one hand, and with your thumb and index finger, run it down the length of the bean to strip (or milk) the liquid contents from the bean. This usually renders about a teaspoon (or less) of very dark/rich/thick vanilla substance. Absolutely wonderful when added to something where vanilla is the stand-alone flavor, such as vanilla pudding or vanilla ice cream. You'll get tiny flecks of the dark brown vanilla seeds in the finished product.

Put the whole bean back into the vodka bottle, and you can strip it many times for this extra rich vanilla.

The best beans for making homemade vanilla are going to be very supple and soft. If your beans are dry and hard, you'll never get any vanilla-flavored vodka with it. If you purchase more beans than you want to use for vodka-flavored vanilla, they will keep from dehydrating if you vacuum seal them with a FoodSaver and freeze them. Otherwise, just go ahead and make them all into vanilla so that they don't dry up before you get around to using them.

The vanilla liquid from using this method usually isn't as strong, or as dark, as commercial vanilla.

-Karen

[Billie_in_W._CO]

Thank you for the directions. That was exactly what I needed, quite clear. I am printing it off now. Thank you, again.

[docjered]

I made ten fifths of bourbon vanilla and two of vodka vanilla, two years ago. They still taste more like bourbon than vanilla, but who am I to complain LOL