VANILLA-SCENTED SUPERFINE SUGAR

A good kitchen stable if you bake a lot, you can use it in any recipe that you a vanilla flavor to intensify the perfume. If you like you can use granulated sugar or confectioners’ sugar instead of superfine sugar. In about 4 months, the vanilla beans have given up most of their moistness; they will turn slightly firm and a bit splintery. Although the beans are a bit less perfumed now, they can be steeped in a liquid, with excellent results. Heat the beans along with milk, cream, or heavy cream when making custard or pastry cream, then remove and discard the beans.

VANILLA-SCENTED SUPERFINE SUGAR

Make 1 kg

2	moist, aromatic vanilla beans split down the center to expose the tiny seeds, using a small, sharp knife
1 kg	Superfine sugar

Using a small, flexible palette knife, open up the sides of the vanilla bean halves slightly.

Turn about one-third of the granulated sugar into a container. Drop in one of the split vanilla beans. Fill with half of the remaining sugar, and drop in the remaining vanilla bean. Add the balance of the sugar. Cover the container tightly.

Place the sugar on a pantry shelf, or in a cool place on the kitchen countertop, preferably away from direct sunlight.

To use the flavored sugar, crush or break it up as necessary with a wooden spoon or spatula (the sugar will moisten from vanilla beans), and flick aside the vanilla beans when scooping it out.

If the sugar is very lumpy, strain it through a medium- to large-mesh stainless steel sieve before measuring.

When the sugar is running low, top up with more sugar and waits for more 4 days.