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Homemade Vanilla Extract
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Since my interest in baking is reignited this holiday season, I am reminded of my homemade vanilla extract which I kept forgetting to write about. The bottle you see above is 3 years old! Homemade vanilla extract is unbeatable in terms of both price and quality. And it is so easy to put together, it is a pity not to make your own if you love baking. All you need is a glass bottle, vanilla pods, vodka and some time … and you will be rewarded with a never-ending supply of good quality vanilla extract. It will never run out because you can simply top up with more pods and vodka as you use it. Homemade vanilla extract makes a great hand-made gift for the holiday season (you can put together a diy starter kit, or give a bottle with a tag to indicate the estimated ready date).
Wow this is really brilliant! I’ve never thought about this at all ;) Wiffy, you’re the best in giving cooking/baking tips!
can suggest other/non alcoholic drinks to substitute vodka
Hi, this link (http://www.mothering.com/community/t/964957/can-you-make-vanilla-extract-without-alcohol) shows how to make vanilla extract with glycerin instead of vodka, but I have not tried it myself.
Thanks for sharing! I still have vanilla extract, so I never bother to find out how to do homemade ones. :) Ask you, how do you store the extract, in the fridge? And when you top up with more pods, do you remove the old ones?
Hi SSB, you bake so much, you should make your own extract!! I store them in my kitchen cupboard, no fridge – I think the alcohol sort of preserves it well. If there is space, I simply add on without removing the old ones. But when it starts to get too crowded, you can remove starting from oldest pods. HTHs :)
Does it taste or smell of the vodka at all after seeping for months? Also, if you want to remove the older ones, how do you know which ones they are? Thanks HTHs
This looks sooo easy!!! Good way to use the bottle of vodka up as well!
what a brilliant idea, I wonder if you could replace the vodka with other spirits maybe a smokey rum or whiskey
yes you can use rum or whiskey. personally I prefer vodka as it has a more neutral flavour.
I needed vanilla and when I went out for some I did not realize how much it costs now. So I did what you said, grabbed all of the above and made mine. Thanks!
I will have to try this!!!
I mean, easy, delicious and pretty-looking! ^_^
Homemade definitely better! Must be real fragrant!
I totally agree! Homemade vanilla extract is the best! And my! Yours is intense! :)
Wow! I never knew that making vanilla extract was so easy! I’ll definitely have to try this some time!