Category "vanilla"

What is the functional difference between imitation vanilla and true vanilla extract?

When baking or using vanilla, most recipes call for vanilla extract. In the supermarket you can find imitation vanilla flavoring for less money. Obviously the i

Is it easy to make my own Vanilla Sugar?

Some background: We had some visitors from Austria recently and they wanted to make a cake. The cake called for a couple of ingredients not terribly easily ob

Can I filter out vanilla bean seeds?

When I scrape out the seeds out of my vanilla beans and simmer them with milk or incorporate them into batter, they always leave little tell-tale black dots in

How do I make vanilla sauce without air bubbles?

Yesterday I made vanilla sauce to go with an apple pie. I used about 2 dl milk, 3 egg yolks and some sugar. I whisked it in a double boiler maybe too vigourousl

How can vanilla essence and vanilla extract be used interchangeably?

This question has answers which explain the difference between vanilla essence and vanilla extract, and which tell you when you may want one over the other - if

Safe to use some vanilla pods that have been fished out of another recipe?

I have used some vanilla pods that I bought on a farm in Mauritius to make crème anglaise. Because the pods are a bit special, I have fished them out of

How do I make the filling in pain aux raisins / danish pastry

I'm making pain aux raisin, but would like some help making the jelly like filling that goes in between. The recipe here describes the filling as frangipane,

Why non-flavored variant is usually vanilla?

Usually the "flavorless" version of various desserts or drinks is in fact vanilla flavored -- why not leaving the product just as it is, especially when the "fl

What does vanilla extract add to a recipe?

I have been cooking for a while and have noticed small amount of Vanilla extract needed in cakes, cookies, muffins, even a smoothie recipe. Often times I forge

What should I do with too-dry vanilla beans?

A few weeks ago, I bought a few vanilla beans to make mint ice cream. I only needed one, so I put the other bean back into the glass container it came in. Today

How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans?

Today I made creme brulee, which I'm not very familiar with but have done once or twice. The consistancy was fine, aswell as the caramelized sugar, but it had

How to substitute vodka in home-made vanilla extract?

I came across this recipe for making my own vanilla extract. However, the vodka in my country isn't very cheap. So, I would like to replace it with a cheaper al

How to compare the strength of commercial natural vanilla extracts?

Vanilla extracts usually don't give details on the content of vanilla. Only the main ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration. On the Kirklan

How can I make a stable olive oil and vanilla ganache?

I've just made some vanilla macaron shells that I plan to fill with an olive oil and vanilla ganache. How should I go about doing this? Should I just make it l

Does vanilla really bring out the flavour of other foods?

I can't count the times I have heard that vanilla brings out the flavour of other foods. For example it "makes chocolate taste more chocolatey," etc... I have

How long will a vanilla bean stay potent?

I am in the habit of using vanilla extract but I would like to start using whole beans sometimes. They are expensive and if I buy them online I will have to hav

What is the difference between "vanilla" and "Mexican vanilla"

Some ice cream around here is marketed as the flavor "Mexican vanilla". It seems sweeter and has obvious vanilla seeds (or something that looks similar). Is th

When can artificial vanilla extract be used in place of real vanilla extract?

There's another question about the difference between artificial and real vanilla extract, saying people can tell the difference, but perhaps not in baked goods

What makes bourbon a decent substitute for vanilla?

In the accepted answer to this question, it was said that bourbon can make a half-decent substitute for vanilla. I fail to understand how because the primary fl

What is the acceptable vanilla:vodka range for homemade vanilla extract?

I am extremely bad at getting the seeds out of my vanilla beans. So I started putting the "used" beans (which still have at least 1/3 of their seeds) in a small