How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans?

How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans? - Top view composition of sweet vanilla eclairs topped with hazelnuts and placed on brown table amidst chocolate marshmallow and coffee 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 a very low taste of vanilla, even though I used 4x the amount specified in the recipe. (I used 2 whole vanilla beans for 2 cups).

I cut, scraped and put everything in cream/sugar, heated to about 80-90c (almost a boil), mixed with the yellow of the egg(yolk?) and cooked it in a pan half-full of water.

Is there anything I can do to facilitate more vanilla flavor? Is it somehow volatile and doesn't survive.. cooking? Maybe I should have boiled the cream with the vanilla? Make extract using high-strength alcohol first? Buy better vanilla?



Best Answer

Getting the Vanilla from the bean to the taste bud takes time. While many will advocate the use of fresh vanilla beans (as you have tried), I have always preferred the flavor that is granted from a good vanilla extract. In my opinion it is stronger and better distributed throughout the dish. Whether you buy or make your own extract I think you will get a more consistent and rich flavor that way.

(note: thanks to @rfusca for providing the extract link in a previous question)




Pictures about "How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans?"

How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans? - Crop unrecognizable chef with piping bag with star tip forming vanilla meringue cookies on baking pan in kitchen
How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans? - Yummy sweet dessert served on wooden table
How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans? - Delicious vanilla dessert with ice cream



Quick Answer about "How to extract the most flavor out of vanilla beans?"

Place the pods in a tall, thin glass jar and pour enough alcohol (grain alcohol, vodka or dark rhum) to just cover the top of the vanilla beans. Close the jar and keep it refrigerated. Within a few weeks, the pods will plump and at the same time infuse the alcohol with a great vanilla flavor.

How do you get the most flavor out of a vanilla bean?

  • Flavor sugar or syrup. "You can put the beans in sugar and make vanilla infused sugar or make a simple syrup similarly with equal parts sugar and water," says Guarnaschelli. ...
  • Infuse some booze. ...
  • Boost anything dairy-based. ...
  • Spike your condiments. ...
  • Eat the pods on their own.


  • How do you make vanilla extract taste better?

    You can use vodka, bourbon, rum, or brandy. Vodka: Distilled vodka is clear, tasteless, odorless, allowing the flavors and color from the vanilla beans shine. Vodka is inexpensive, and you will get a pure vanilla flavor in your extract.

    How many times can vanilla beans be used to make vanilla extract?

    If your jar is larger than 8 ounces, use more beans and alcohol so that the alcohol will cover the beans. Just remember this ratio: 6 vanilla beans per 8 ounces of alcohol. So if your jar is 12 ounces, use 9 vanilla beans. If it's 16 ounces, use 12 beans.

    What is the most flavorful vanilla bean?

    Mexican vanilla beans, from the genus planifolia, have a reputation for being the best vanilla beans in the world \u2013 vanilla did originate in this area so you shouldn't be surprised. Mexico actually had a monopoly on vanilla beans until the 1800's explorers started exporting them to other countries.



    DIY Vanilla Extract with Split \u0026 Whole Vanilla beans after 3 months. Which is best? By VanillaPura




    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Nikita Krasnov, Katerina Holmes, Matheus Bertelli, Ryutaro Tsukata