Vanilla Extract

Most vanilla extracts or essences are made with artificial flavours, synthetic vanillin, whilst vanilla beans have a whole range of unique organoleptic molecules depending on the variety and the terroir where it grows which cannot be synthesized. We therefore strongly recommend using vanilla beans in your recipes, or making your own vanilla extract from vanilla beans. Here are the steps:

Sterilize the glass bottle you are going to use by immersing it, as well as its cap, in boiling water for 10 minutes, then leaving them to dry on a clean cloth.

Using a knife, split the pods lengthwise and scrape out the seeds to put them in the bottle. Add the bark entirely or may cut in fine slice if the pods are oily or grind if they are dry enough for a more efficient extraction process.

Pour the alcohol (fermented cane juice, agricole rum, vodka for a more neutral extract, or an alcohol of at least 40°) over the beans, close the jar and shake.

You may use an ultra-sound device to enhance the extraction, but time is still necessary to obtain the most of the aromatic molecules.

Store the jar in a place protected from light and heat, and shake it once a week during a month, after which you let it rest 12 months to obtain a super extra Vanilla Extract that you will filter just before use.

***Important Notes and Tips***

The colour of the extract is a good indicator that it is working well, it should get darker and darker.

The better the quality of the alcohol as well as of the vanilla beans, the better the quality of the extract.

You can start the recipe directly with used or dried pods, but you will need to add more, or leave to infuse longer to obtain a usable product. Do not add sugar nor water to the preparation to prevent it from fermenting. You may even add black, red or white peppers, berries or spices.