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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract - Sorry my iPhone photography skills are lacking
Homemade vanilla extract is really one of the easiest DIY real food projects there is.  I have no idea why I never tried it before!  You need 2 things, alcohol (I choose vodka, but I've seen recipes with everclear and rum also), and vanilla beans.  THAT'S it!!!

1 750 ml bottle of vodka
12 vanilla beans


The picture above is really about 1/2 of the 750 bottle and 6 vanilla beans (because that's all I had available when I started the batch), after 3 weeks.  Split the beans down the center, I chopped mine in half also because I am using a pint canning jar that was too short.  Place the beans in the vodka, wait 3 weeks.  Strain into a clean container, you may add more vodka to the same vanilla beans, I add 1-2 new vanilla beans to the jar too and start a new batch.   Enjoy using your vanilla extract!

5 comments:

  1. I am going to try this! What could be easier?

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  2. Awesome!
    I was planning on making this as Christmas gifts this year for the bakers in the family. Thanks for the post! :-)

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  3. I've done this before too! Love homemade vanilla extract! I didn't know you could keep reusing the vanilla beans though ... awesome!

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  4. So the alcohol is transformed to the vanilla? sandie

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  5. Vanilla extract is an alcohol base, the vanilla flavor leaches out of the pods and infuses the alcohol with vanilla flavoring, leaving the vanilla extract. I know there are some vanillas that are non-alcohol but I have no idea how that is made.

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