Vanilla beans vs extract
Say I get me some vanilla beans and, say, I am dabbling with pudding at the time. All recipes I've encountered require vanilla extract to be added to the pudding, my question is - if I want to use real vanilla beans: would that be better and how do I decide how much beans to use?
Also, how do I use them? Do I use just the beans or the entire pods?
Best Answer
Slice the pod in half, long ways, carefully. Run your knife blade down the length,scraping the tiny seeds (very tiny) from the inside of the pod. What you collect will be sticky and not look like much, but it is very potent. Place what you collected into your pudding mixture while cooking. One pod should be plenty. You can also toss in the whole pod at this point, but then remember to take it out before the pudding sets up. Alternately, toss the scraped pods in a jar of sugar to create vanilla sugar for other uses.
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Quick Answer about "Vanilla beans vs extract"
Ultimately, vanilla extract is the same as a vanilla bean with just a few added ingredients. The main reason why vanilla extract is a more common ingredient is due to price. Whole vanilla beans tend to be pricey, whereas extract is more affordable and sold in larger amounts.Can vanilla extract be substituted for vanilla bean?
Yes, you can absolutely substitute vanilla extract for vanilla bean paste. Keep in mind that vanilla bean paste is slightly thicker than vanilla extract and could cause a very minor change in the texture of the frosting, batter or beverage you are making.Does vanilla bean taste better than vanilla extract?
Vanilla Extract: What's the Difference? Consistency: Vanilla paste has a thicker consistency that includes specks from vanilla bean seeds. Flavor: With the inclusion of ground vanilla bean powder, vanilla paste has a slightly more intense flavor than vanilla extract.Is vanilla bean the same as vanilla extract?
Vanilla beans are the primary ingredient in both vanilla extract and vanilla beans paste. In one, the beans infuse alcohol for a flavor extract, and in the other beans are extracted into a thick paste with tons of those delicious vanilla flecks.What is the equivalent of 1 vanilla bean to vanilla extract?
If you need to swap one vanilla flavoring for another, we've found that 1/2 vanilla bean is the same as 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste.Baking with $2 Vanilla Extract vs. $10 Vanilla Beans
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Answer 2
In my experience, vanilla beans have more flavor than extract. The flavor of ice cream or pudding is better when made with a bean than with extract. I'm not sure why, but I imagine not all of the aromatic compounds from the beans come out in the extract. For instructions on how to use, see moscafj's answer.
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