Vanilla

Here we are just got over the holidays and I am thinking of Gifts for next year. The best gifts really are homemade. You can't beat them, they are always appreciated.

I got to thinking this morning that I was going to need to purchase Vanilla extract soon, I loathe buying it, so expensive. I don't buy the imitation, it just isn't as good. When I made some apple cake on my other blog I talked about making your own vanilla. It is an easy process that requires patience. If I start now I will have plenty for some really awesome Christmas gifts. I know this isn't really a cheap meal post but it is a money saving plan. Do you know that 3 cups (24oz) of vanilla will last you 5-10 years, maybe more depending on your baking.

Store bought vanilla is a rip off. Seriously. Double strength (what most professional bakers use) costs you some where around $35 for 1 cup. The normal everyday stuff still costs around $3-$4 a 2 oz bottle so that is $16 a cup.



Now, if you just wanted to make this for your self you'd just need one big DARK tinted glass bottle and a spout for it. I am going to make some little gift baskets this year so I need more bottles than just 1.

I found some cute little 2oz bottles here the shipping is a bit steep so I may shop around first.

Here is what you need:

3 cups (24oz) of vodka. It doesn't half to be fancy so go into the liquor store walk to the vodka and squat down, yeah that is right, we are going bottom shelf quality here. Aristocrat is really cheap like $8 for a liter which is plenty at about 33oz.

Vanilla beans, now there are tons of different vanilla beans, and there are many opinions as to how many you need to make the extract just right. I have read anywhere from 3-8 beans per cup of vodka so lets make it a round even number at 5 per cup making us need 15 (feel free to use more or less depending on your budget). Buy these when you find them on sale. If you can't get them locally buying them online is perfectly fine. I prefer Madagascar vanilla beans. Be prepared to spend between $15-$25 depending on where you get them. I am waiting on the cheaper half of that number.

A dark glass bottle sterilized in boiling water (if you don't have a dark bottle just wrap some brown paper around a mason jar)

Once you get all your goodies in you need to cut your beans length wise and scrape the seeds out (or you can just cut the beans length wise then in half leaving the seed intact) There is no right or wrong way to do this, the real magic happens in the bottles.

pour your vodka into the glass bottle/jar add your seeds and vanilla, close the container. For the first week you want to shake it every day (or when ever you think about it) then open it, smell it as tempting as it is, don't drink it, yet :) now the next 2 weeks shake it at least every other day, now it has been three weeks, you aren't really excited anymore, your patience are wearing thin. You want this stuff now. You neglect the little gorgeous bottle for weeks before touching and shaking it again. Then you remember you have it, open it, smell it, taste it or add it to your coffee. It is starting to be good. Look what you have done?!?! Now, leave it as is until it meets your taste requirements or UP to 6 months before removing the beans, you can leave them in if you are using small bottles because it is pretty but sometimes the beans can go rancid and make your extract foul, so better safe then sorry.


So it has been 6 months, strain this gorgeous beauty through a coffee filter into your bottles. Print some pretty little labels and TA-DA A nice, home made gift of greatness that cost you around $30-$45 to make at .50-$1 an ounce. 3 cups (24 ounces) would be 12 bottles of the store bought stuff at $4 a pop.

Save one of those vanilla beans and fill a container with 1 cup of sugar place the cut vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the sugar, cover the vanilla bean with a 2nd cup of sugar let set 1 week and you have an amazing vanilla infused sugar great for awesome sugar cookies or to add to your coffee or tea.

Vodka also is an amazing product, it cleans, deodorizes and can be used for mouthwashes, astringents etc, so dilute any leftover in a spray bottle and spray your hands to sanitize or clean your windows or spray those stinky tennis shoes!!!

The same process for vanilla extract can be used for orange, lemon, lime, maybe even mint? The possibilities are absolutely endless. The great thing about the orange, lemon or lime is it is MUCH cheaper to do since the fruits are cheaper!