Pure Vanilla Extract

What is the difference between vanilla extract and vanilla beans

Vanilla extract is made with alcohol, sugar and vanilla bean extracts. Vanilla beans are used for making vanilla frosting, spaghetti sauce, homemade ice cream, mousse, custards or desserts.

 What is the difference between real vanilla and imitation vanilla

In some countries like France, it is illegal to sell pure Vanilla extract because they believe they can detect a fake one by smelling it. But in the U.S., it is okay to sell pure vanilla extract and fake vanilla is cooked with corn starch and water.

What is the difference between vanilla frosting and powdered sugar

In a frosting recipe, there are 4-5 ingredients used. Frosting is made by mixing butter, heavy cream, confectionery sugar, egg yolks and flavoring. It can also be made with butter or vegetable oil instead of heavy cream. Powdered sugar just means that it is ground into a fine powder.

What is the difference between vanilla bean and vanilla extract

Vanilla extract is made from pure vanilla beans, which are usually fermented for a year before being dried, to create the scent and flavor of pure real vanilla. The alcohol content used in making vanilla extract comes from the alcohol within the beans itself.

What is real vanilla vs artificial/fake ingredients

Vanilla beans are about eight inches long and three inches diameter. They are scraped lengthwise with a knife to make the little bean pods known as Vanilla pods which contain two tiny seeds inside them.

Pure vanilla extract is made by steeping the beans in alcohol and water for several months, often 3 to 6. The mixture is then allowed to dry out. It’s important that this process takes place in a dark place because exposure to light will cause the vanilla to develop a bitter taste.

Pure vanilla extract varies in quality due to its intensity, sweetness, and strength of flavor. There are three grades available: double strength, single or low-grade (sometimes called “extract” or “liquid”), and imitation which is generally recognized as an unacceptable substitute. Pure vanilla has no artificial ingredients or additives; it contains at least 35% alcohol and 13% water from the original beans used for production.

A vanilla bean weighs approximately 1.3 grams on average, and produces about 7 to 8 drops of extract per bean. By weight, pure vanilla has a concentration of 35% alcohol and 13% water from the vanilla beans used in the production process. This means that 1 oz of pure vanilla extract contains 14 grams (1 tablespoon) of alcohol and 2.15 grams (1/4 teaspoon) of water.

Pure vanilla extract that is labeled “pure” or “imitation” contains artificial flavorings, additional ingredients and in some cases thickening agents are added to the mixture to make it thicker or improve the color or appearance. Artificial vanilla extract is made by combining a small amount of vanilla with a lot of other things such as corn syrup, flavorings and chemicals. If you can see through the bottle, it’s probably not pure.

You may find that you prefer artificial vanilla to pure vanilla because it is much cheaper and also provides more free flavoring in your final product. You should consider how the final product will be used before making a purchase.

If you’re baking cookies or brownies, or making something where the vanilla won’t be diluted in ice cream or milk, you might use pure vanilla extract and get the best possible flavor. However, if you will be using the vanilla to flavor salt or sugar to make a rim for your margarita or martini glass, artificial extract may be your best choice.

Pure vanilla extract is more expensive than “imitation” vanilla because it uses the actual vanilla bean, while the imitation variety doesn’t. Pure vanilla is much stronger than imitation and you will need to use less in your final recipe. If a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla, you can usually use half of that amount when substituting with imitation vanilla extract.

The only exception to this rule is baking – when baking, recipes must be adjusted because pure extracts are so much more potent. In this case, substitute artificial for pure at a ratio of 1:1 with low-fat milk or water and use 50% less than the quantity indicated in your recipe.

Pure vanilla extract tends to have a more natural flavor and aroma than artificial vanilla (at least in my opinion). It’s also much milder, so you need less of it which can save money in the long run.

That said, I cannot help but wonder if the sugar-coated version is somehow more pure. Well, at least it has fewer calories. To test the kitchen-savvy of reviewers at epinions.com, I asked them to compare the taste of a cupcake made with artificial vanilla and a cupcake made with pure vanilla. Their response: Artificial tasted better.

According to our friend Wikipedia, “pure vanilla extract is prepared by macerating or percolating vanilla beans in an aqueous solution of alcohol under pressure.” So it’s true that you could make your own extract by infusing vodka with your own crushed beans. The choice is yours to make.

In the next few weeks, we’ll be looking into vanilla substitutes. For example, you can find a host of imitation vanilla products in the baking aisle at your local supermarket. While these are labeled as flavor enhancers or extractions, they might actually be a good choice when you’re trying to eliminate certain ingredients from your diet or just making decisions based on health advantages. Let’s begin with artificial vanilla extracts:

Artificial Vanilla Substitute Recipes

As much as I love vanilla and think it’s important in all kinds of baked goods and desserts, I’m not so fond of artificial flavors and everything that goes into them. I was thus looking for a vanilla substitute recipe that at least had a little bit of flavor and not too many ingredients. So here are a few recipes for making your own artificial vanilla extract:

4.8 from 5 reviews Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe Save Print Prep time 15 mins Total time 15 mins Recipe type: Ingredient-Free, Allergy-Friendly Cuisine: Dessert, Snacks Ingredients 500 g (~ 1 lb) whole vanilla beans, split in half lengthwise

1 kg (2 cups) brown sugar (or white or coconut sugar) Instructions Place the split beans into an airtight glass jar with a tight fitting lid or jar. (I would use a one liter jar.) Cover the beans with brown sugar. Make sure to leave a little space at the top of the jar. Shake vigorously until all of the beans are evenly coated by the sugar.

Let sit in a dark location for 2 weeks. Shake occasionally while letting it sit. After two weeks, there will be a thick syrupy fluid covering the beans and it should be ready to use in your favorite recipes! 3.5.3226

How do you know if vanilla extract has gone bad?

Vanilla extract can go bad. You know when it’s gone bad when it no longer tastes like vanilla. It will start to develop a bitter and chemical taste. In this case, you’ll need to discard the bad extract and make a new batch. If you have pure vanilla extract, it will go bad after about six months if kept in a cool, dark place with the lid tightly closed. If your bottle has a clear or slightly yellow tint to it, there is still plenty of flavor left for more baking or cooking. If the color has changed to dark brown or black, then the flavor is probably completely gone from your extract and you should throw it away. Make sure to throw out any bottle with a thick syrupy liquid on the bottom.

How much vanilla extract should you put in your recipes?

Using a good quality vanilla extract will make a noticeable difference in the flavor of your baked goods, especially cakes and candies. I always add just a little of the extract. I found that 1/4 tsp is sufficient for most recipes where it’s used only as an accent or in small amounts (ie one teaspoon is enough for about 8 cookies). I put about 3-4 full teaspoons into my buttercream frostings, depending on what kind of frosting recipe I’m making.

Can you get sick from expired vanilla extract?

Unlike other food products that last a long time, like flour and sugar, vanilla extract doesn’t seem to last nearly as long as the bottle says. This can be scary for many people who use a lot of vanilla extract in their recipes. But don’t panic…

I’ve heard from readers who say they’ve been using the same bottle of vanilla extract for over 10 years with no problems. I also think it’s important to note that even though you might forget to open your bottle and it goes bad after six months, you most likely won’t get sick from it because so much of the flavor has already evaporated out of the bottle by then.

Should vanilla extract smell like alcohol?

Yes, real vanilla extract should smell like alcohol because it’s made with alcohol. On the other hand, imitation vanilla extract is made with propylene glycol (which is sometimes marketed as a non-toxic replacement for ethylene glycol). So if your homemade or pure vanilla extract smells more like sweet vegetable oil than alcohol, it’s probably a fake product.

I found that my imitation vanilla extract smells and tastes different from pure extract because of the different ingredients. So even if you use imitation vanilla in a recipe that calls for pure vanilla, you’ll still notice a difference in taste even though the artificial version might work just fine in some recipes.

Can vanilla extract grow mold?

If you notice a clump of black or white mold on top, it could be the result of poor storage practices or a clogged-up bottle. If this happens, you can use a wooden matchstick to scrape the mold off. You’ll have to give this a try and see if it works.

How do you store vanilla extract?

If stored properly (never opened or kept in hot environments), vanilla extract should last for at least two years if kept in a dark, cool place with no direct sunlight. My personal preference is to keep my vanilla extract in an airtight glass container that allows room for air circulation around the sides of the bottle.

As you can see, there’s a lot more to vanilla extract than meets the eye. And what you really want to do is find a vanilla extract that you really like and makes the world of difference in your recipes. So don’t be afraid to experiment with different brands and types of vanilla extract.