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Make your own extract and bottle it up in cute little bottles. I picked up a big bottle of vodka a few months ago, ordered some Madagascar vanilla beans through eBay (Grade B vanilla beans make the best extract) and now I have wonderful homemade vanilla extract!
All you need is:
1 large bottle of vodka
10 - 12 vanilla beans
Cut your vanilla beans long ways down the middle. Scrape the beans loose from the pods and add the scrapings to your bottle of vodka. Higher quality vodka makes a better extract. You may have to remove a bit of the vodka to accommodate for the beans and pods. Chop up the pods into 1 to 2-inch pieces and add them to the vodka as well. Place your bottle in a dark pantry or cabinet. Shake the bottle once a day for about a week then every few days just to keep it all mixed up. After awhile I just shake mine when I notice it in the cabinet. You can use it after a month but the longer it sits the stronger (and better) your extract will be.
I use a paper towel or very thin cloth and a small funnel to strain my extract into the smaller bottles.
I have been using from my bottle to bake and make the little gift bottles above. When you have used 1/3 or so of the bottle, refill it with vodka to keep your extract going. If your beans start to lose their vanilla smell, scrape, chop and add more. This bottle can be refilled occasionally and last for years to use in your own baking or make a few big bottles to divide and give as gifts around the holidays!
These little bottles are even cuter with a recipe card tied to them!
8 comments:
How easy it sounds! I never knew making vanilla extract is so easy.Thank you for sharing that tip. Those bottles sure look cute!
Wow. I never knew vanilla was mostly vodka!
Thanks for sharing this with us. :)
Extracts are alcohol based and whatever flavor you are making. You can use a different alcohol if you prefer. You can also add some dark rum to this bottle to give it a little different "darker" flavor. I prefer the just the vodka for mine. I grow mint in my herb garden and want to try some mint extract this summer.
I don't use alcohol at all, so I'd probably stick to your recipe if I tried this. :)
Good luck with your mint!
Thanks for telling us to use grade B beans, I didn't realize they were best and have been making vanilla for decades. I just found some Madagascar vanilla with the been seeds, this is a new one for me and looking forward to being home so I can use it.
Hi! this recipe sounds great! But would you mind telling me what seller you bought from on ebay?
Thanks!
I bought these back quite awhile ago and can't find the same seller but if you search eBay for Grade B vanilla beans there are several sellers with 100% feedback. Any of these should be fine. I will have to buy some more soon. I have used mine for vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, homemade vanilla ice cream, etc. I love having vanilla beans on hand!
Thanks so much!! I love reading your blog :)
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