vanilla extract

Directions

1. 1 quartIngredientsYield: 1 quart/liter to begin with, and as much as you like after that1. Find a supplier of good, cheap vanilla beans. I buy mine from the San Francisco-based Vanilla, Saffron Imports, whose beans I can highly recommend (though interestingly enough, I haven't been all that impressed with their extracts); another good option is eBay; try The Organic Vanilla Bean Company or Vanilla Products USA - or just search for 'vanilla beans' to see all your local options. All of these companies will ship anywhere in the world, though the eBay sellers are probably the cheapest for that. I usually buy 1/2 lb. at a time (about 60-80 beans, depending on variety), which lasts me for about a year, depending on how much baking I do. If you can, get a mixture of Bourbon (Madagascar) and Tahitian beans; I usually prefer the Bourbon's flavor, but a mixture makes a very nice extract.2. Buy two 4-oz (118ml) jars of vanilla extract - something good and strong, like Nielsen-Massey, Penzey's, etc. Trader Joe's is fine too. Just make sure it's real vanilla extract, not some nasty cocktail of chemicals. Now, put one on the shelf and start using it. Yes, it's going to take a while for your homemade stuff to be ready, and you'll need something to tide you over. Sorry, there's no way around it! The other one you'll be using to kickstart your homemade stuff. If you live in some remote corner of the planet where you can't buy vanilla extract, I'm afraid you'll have to skip this step. Your homemade extract will take a while longer, but it will still be good.3. Buy two bottles of booze: vodka, light rum, bourbon, or whatever as long as it's around 40% alcohol. Nothing fancy, just the cheapest stuff your supermarket sells. Some people shy away from booze with its own flavor, but you'll be using it in such small quantities that it really won't make a difference, though if you're worried about that just use vodka. Again, put one bottle in the cupboard (no, this one is not to tide you over, so hands off!). This is your 'top-up' bottle which you will start using once you start decanting your own extract. You can, of course, buy the second bottle later, but it never hurts to be prepared.4. Find yourself a 1 quart/liter glass container with a lid such as a mason jar, an old booze bottle, etc. Clean it well. Make sure it doesn't harbor any weird odors.5. Pour one bottle of store-bought extract and one bottle of booze into the container. Now you need to add some vanilla beans. If you've already got some used ones lying around, lucky you - use those. If you don't, you'll have to sacrifice some new ones. How many you put in to start with is completely up to you; the more you put in the faster your extract will be ready. I think I started with 4-6 new ones, and added 3-4 used ones per month after that. Split them down the middle and throw them in. Put the lid on tightly, give everything a shake, and put the container in a cool, dark cupboard somewhere.6. Carry on with your normal life, using both the extract on your shelf and your vanilla beans, only that every time you use a vanilla bean, throw it in the container afterwards. If you've simmered the bean in milk or something for your recipe, give it a good rinse first. Take the container out and shake it around once a week or so, at which time feel free to poke your nose in and see how things are developing. It will start out smelling powerfully like alcohol, but over time, the vanilla flavors will take over and the boozy smell will almost disappear.7. Continue doing this for, oh, at least 6-8 weeks. The longer the better. Of course YMMV depending on your personal consumption habits, but what we're aiming for is that by the time you've finished that bottle of store-bought extract on your shelf, your own should be rich, fragrant and ready to start decanting. The other reason to wait until you've finished the supply on your shelf is that you can use the handy little bottle for your own extract.8. When the container of homemade extract has reached your preferred strength, decant some into your own 4 oz bottle (or multiple little bottles, if you're going to give some away). Now get out that second bottle of booze you stashed away all those weeks ago and top up the container so it's full again. You'll need to do this every time after you decant. You can probably leave all the beans in there at this point, but as a general rule if things start to get too crowded in there I just remove a few of the mushiest ones. Place the container back in the cupboard to mature for another couple of months and repeat steps 6-8 as many times as you like. The extract you get from it will just keep getting better and better and better