Saturday, January 26, 2008

Vanilla-Vanilla

I had a problem with vanilla flavor a long time ago, I didn’t like the imitation vanilla, and most of the bakery in Thailand use imitation than the real thing, and it is common for other people but not for me. So after I started baking, I want to have the pure vanilla extract to use in my cake, but it’s hard to find in Thailand, and I didn’t want to wait for any people to go aboard and buy it for me. I search for making the extract at home (I really want to grow it at home, so I get the bean and making the extract but it’s not easy, vanilla bean need a lot of work, you can read about it here).
Finally I come across this article: How to make the vanilla extract from ...................
Joachim. I started from that time and it’s great. I know that if you’re live in the country that you can easily find the good one you may turn away from this but I find the home made extract’s fragrance is very sweet, and you can use more vanilla pod to get better extract.
The key is your vanilla pod, a fresh and sweet fragrance one will make the extract come out great (if you live in Thailand, you can buy the vanilla pods from Central food hall, it come in a tin can in the spice section). The extract that you start today can be useable in 3 month (if you don’t use any commercial extract). After you get your extract, it’s keep indefinitely.
Home Made Vanilla Extract



750 ml Inexpensive vodka
6 Split vanilla bean
½ cup commercial extract (optional)

Put the vanilla bean in a glass bottle and pour the vodka in. Put the cap on and keep the bottle in a cool dark place, shake it from time to time (or when you remember). The extract that you start today can be useable in 3 month or 6 weeks if using the commercial extract.


My vanilla bean from the bottle
From:Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks: 5,000 Ingenious Kitchen Hints, Secrets, Shortcuts, and Solutions by David Joachim

5 comments:

  1. Hi,
    I am making a trip to BKK. Pls let me know if you want me to bring some vanilla pod or extract for you.

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you very much!
    Luckily I got a lot of them from my last trip.
    Thank you so much for thinking of me.
    Pook

    ReplyDelete
  3. hi,
    what can be use to substitute the vodka? something non alcohol?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi, Ana^Liza
    I try to find the recipe for you ^^, anyway I never make it before but it will be a good choice for anyone who don't drink.

    Vanilla

    2 vanilla beans
    12 oz glycerin
    4 oz warm water

    Slit bean down middle, and scrape downs seeds. Place both in glycerin and warm water. (softens pod)
    Place in dark jar or light jar in dark place. Let sit for a month or so.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Interest information about vanilla extract, I make it use vegetable glycerin as alcohol substitute. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete

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