Vanilla Recipe

Time20m

Serves24

Make Vanilla Recipe in just 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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1
Prepare beans
Wipe the vanilla beans with a clean dry cloth to remove dust. Using a sharp knife, trim about 1/8" off each end, then slice each bean lengthwise down the center to expose the seeds. You may leave the beans attached at one end if you prefer or split fully.
2
Bottle
Place the split vanilla beans into a clean 16–20 oz (about 500–600 ml) glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. If your jar is larger, use more vodka or extra beans so beans stay submerged.
3
Add alcohol
Pour 2 cups (about 480 ml) of vodka into the jar, completely submerging the beans. Press or shake gently so beans are fully covered and any trapped air escapes.
4
Infuse
Seal the jar tightly and store in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar gently once every 2–3 days for the first two weeks, then once a week thereafter. Allow to infuse for at least 8 weeks; flavor improves for 3–6 months. The extract will turn dark and fragrant.
5
Finish
After infusion time, you can leave the beans in the bottle to continue aging (recommended) or strain the liquid through a fine mesh or coffee filter into a clean bottle. Label with date and type of beans. Homemade extract keeps indefinitely.

6
Combine
Add 2 cups granulated sugar to an airtight container. Split one vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the sugar. Add the scraped bean pod to the container as well.
7
Infuse
Seal and shake to distribute seeds. Let the sugar infuse at least 1 week, shaking every day; for stronger flavor, wait 2–3 weeks. Use the sugar in baking, coffee, or to rim cocktails. Replenish sugar as it's used.
8
Reuse pod
When sugar is nearly gone, remove the pod and add it to a jar of vodka to start another batch of vanilla extract, or dry it and grind to vanilla powder.

9
Combine
In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of your prepared vanilla extract with the scraped seeds from 1 vanilla bean and 1 teaspoon light corn syrup. The corn syrup helps suspend seeds and gives a paste-like body.
10
Adjust
If the paste is too runny, add an additional 1/4–1/2 teaspoon corn syrup or a tiny pinch (1/8 tsp) of xanthan gum whisked in to thicken slightly. If you prefer no syrup, reduce the extract to 1 tablespoon and use only seeds for a thicker slurry.
11
Store
Transfer to a small jar, seal, and refrigerate up to 1 month (or freeze small portions for longer). Use 1 teaspoon paste ≈ 1 vanilla bean in recipes where you want visible seeds and strong flavor.