Regular blog readers know that about once a year, actually, this time it was a little over a year, we start a batch of vanilla extract. Our last batch is closing in on about a year old (see last photo in this post).
We have many posts over the years as we've done this. We get our beans and a bottle of plain vodka. We use ten beans per bottle since we let it go for six months before using it.
Vanilla beans galore HERE.
We split them in half and drop them into the bottle.
Then just screw the lid back on and put it in a dark place for about six months, occasionally moving the bottle around to mix things up.
Check this out:
This is the last batch we made, as we mentioned, it is almost a year old. Look how dark it is! So rich and wonderfully 'vanilla'! We've used about 1/3 of it over the last year. Cookies, cakes, brownies, pancakes, waffles, etc, we use vanilla. Because we decided to give some away at Christmas (filter it with a coffee filter and put into smaller bottles), we decided to make more so we wouldn't run out in six months.
I do the same thing and usually around this time of year also. It's so much better than the bottled stuff at the store.
ReplyDeleteMy bottle was lost with my house.
ReplyDeleteYour year-old bottle looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteExcellent tutorial. Beautiful vanilla!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder to put vodka on my shopping list. I have only about 1/2 cup left from the last batch.
ReplyDeleteI started a bottle in late May of this year. It's looking delightfully dark amber. I am really looking forward to start using it for my holiday baking. Thanks so much for the instructions and inspiration you provided!
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