Use fresh, quality vanilla beans for the best extract.
You can make your own fresh vanilla using just a few simple tools. You'll know that your vanilla flavoring only includes natural ingredients and you can control the quality. Commercial vanilla processors sometimes add sugar or another type of sweetener or combine pure vanilla with synthetic vanillin to reduce production costs. If you want to avoid this, it's easy to create your own vanilla flavoring at home. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Cut the beans lengthwise with the scissors, leaving an inch at one end intact.
2. Place the beans in the glass jar.
3. Pour the vodka over the beans and push the beans down into the alcohol.
4. Put the lid on the jar and place it in a cool dark place for at least 8 weeks. The longer you leave it, the more pronounced the vanilla flavor will be. Shake the jar every couple of weeks to mix the vanilla pods with the vodka.
5. Add sugar syrup to sweeten. To make the syrup, boil 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water. Remove from heat when the sugar is dissolved.
6. Use in baking when flavoring has reached desired potency. Visually, it should have a medium amber color.
Tags: your vanilla flavoring, vanilla flavoring, your vanilla