Making Your Own Vanilla Extract.................
Decorating By MikeRowesHunny Updated 18 Mar 2007 , 7:23pm by nefgaby
has anyone ever done this? I've just started a batch today and I wondered if anyone has already done this and how it turned out? I can only get the artificial stuff in supermarkets here, and the expat shop that has the tiny 38ml bottles costs E2,49 ($3,35) per bottle - so if this works I'll save myself a fair bit of money!
I've used 4 vanilla pods and 200ml (about 2/3 + 1/4c) of Smirnoff triple distilled vodka. I have to say that it is already going golden and smelling quite strongly of vanilla. I'll let you know how it turns out in 30 days!
Where did you buy the vanilla pods? I've never heard of making your own vanilla extract, I would really like to give this a try!
You can google "making your own vanilla extract" and get many how-to's on it! Here's one:
http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/articles/vanilla.shtml
I have heard that there is a very reasonably priced vanilla pod seller on ebay, but I don't remember who it is 
I know it's possible to have good results, but how can you control or measure how strong the vanilla is? When a recipe calls for one teaspoon of the commercial vanilla, how do you know how much to use of the homemade?
has anyone ever done this? I've just started a batch today and I wondered if anyone has already done this and how it turned out? I can only get the artificial stuff in supermarkets here, and the expat shop that has the tiny 38ml bottles costs E2,49 ($3,35) per bottle - so if this works I'll save myself a fair bit of money!
I have done it. Went to a liquor store and bought a high proof pint bottle of vodka,. Split a few vanilla pods insert them in the bottle and let it set in a dark place for a month. i shaked it up every few days. It was good and much cheaper in the stores.
I love it plus when you use some you can add more alchohol a few times to keep it going. As for how much to use I just use what I feel like even when I follow a recipe and use commercial vanilla I quite often add more than they say because I love the flavour.
Check out this post. I made mine after talking with dragonwarlord and haven't regretted it yet.
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-663-vodka.html
It is great! I use the same amount that the recipe calls for with my homemade vanilla. I gave it as gifts to my grandma and my best friend and they both like it too.
I used Shakers and then ordered fresh vanilla beans online (think total they cost me about $10 total and if I had bought old dry ones in the store they would have been $7 Each
Edited to add the link I forgot
It's really good and tastes like "real" vanilla instead of imitation. You obviously can't make your own clear-which is all imitation, so if the color is a problem, you wouldn't want to bother. You have to watch what vanilla beans you get though-there are different kinds-which make different flavors. Mexican vanilla beans have a more "flowery" scent and taste that way too.
dragonwarlord1969 shared with me how they made theirs ... it tastes really good too! If memory serves me correct, and hopefully they'll correct me if I'm wrong, it was a bottle of vodka (cheap kind works too), vanilla beans (about 4-6 to a bottle, split long ways and seeds exposed), drop the split vanilla beans into the bottle of vodka and seal tightly. Shake everyday for one month. Drain vodka through a small screen strainer or cheese cloth into a container that will make it easy for you to pour back into the vodka bottle. Pour vodka back into bottle. Split 4 -6 vanilla beans and drop back down into the vodka bottle and repeat the process for one more month. Drain/strain again and pour back into your vodka bottle and your vanilla is complete and ready to use. I remember dragonwarlord1969 saying to make sure the vanilla beans were shiney otherwise they're not fresh. I've tried this and it was very good.
goa lee. 
I really need to try this.
Its making me hungry for some reason 
SO it does not matter if its cheap or expensive vodka?
Whats the difference in Vanilla Beans & Vanilla Pods?
You can get vanilla pods at Penzeys Spice Stores or at www.penzeys.com.
My SIL makes her own vanilla all the time. I have been inspired and think I will try to make some myself. For those of you in central Iowa there is a Penzeys Spice in Des Moines. I see in the catalog there are also stores in Alabama, Arizona,California, Colorado,Connecticut,Florida,Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. They have great spices for those who love to cook and bake!
ihavasweet2th
On a foodtv show here in Canada called "chef at home" the chef (Michael) always talks about his home-made vanilla....he uses high quality brandy and lots of split vanilla beans (lots = 10 or so) and puts it all in a mason-jar in his pantry. Wonder what the flavour difference would be with brandy or vodka...
You can get vanilla pods at Penzeys Spice Stores or at www.penzeys.com.
My SIL makes her own vanilla all the time. I have been inspired and think I will try to make some myself. For those of you in central Iowa there is a Penzeys Spice in Des Moines. I see in the catalog there are also stores in Alabama, Arizona,California, Colorado,Connecticut,Florida,Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. They have great spices for those who love to cook and bake!
ihavasweet2th
Thanks for this lead. I will have to stop there next week. I dont' have anywhere around me that sells fresh vanilla beans that I have found yet.
You live in the DM area? I'm in East Central near the Q-C
goa lee.
I really need to try this.
Its making me hungry for some reason
SO it does not matter if its cheap or expensive vodka?
Whats the difference in Vanilla Beans & Vanilla Pods?
----
i don't think it matters if its cheap of expensive vodka because it's not the vodka flavour we're going for, it's the vanilla right? and there's no difference between a vanilla bean and a vanilla pod. the beans are what's in the pod.
You can get vanilla pods at Penzeys Spice Stores or at www.penzeys.com.
My SIL makes her own vanilla all the time. I have been inspired and think I will try to make some myself. For those of you in central Iowa there is a Penzeys Spice in Des Moines. I see in the catalog there are also stores in Alabama, Arizona,California, Colorado,Connecticut,Florida,Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. They have great spices for those who love to cook and bake!
ihavasweet2th
Thanks for this lead. I will have to stop there next week. I dont' have anywhere around me that sells fresh vanilla beans that I have found yet.
You live in the DM area? I'm in East Central near the Q-C
Now just wondering... do you buy Madagascar or Mexican Vanilla Beans?
Which one is best? Too much difference in flavor? Thanks.
Leily,
I live in Boone, 45 miles NW of Des Moines.
~ihavasweet2th~
and there's no difference between a vanilla bean and a vanilla pod. the beans are what's in the pod.
Oh thanks that makes since
Now just wondering... do you buy Madagascar or Mexican Vanilla Beans?
Which one is best? Too much difference in flavor? Thanks.
Madagascar is like the good vanilla you would typically find in a grocery store. Mexican has a very different flavor and I love it and use it in everything and have for years now. If you have never tried the Mexican vanilla I would strongly suggest doing so because the difference in the two is pretty extreme. Mexican vanilla is much stronger too so when a recipe calls for 1 tsp of vanilla I only use 1/2 to 3/4 tsp at the most of the Mexican vanilla.
I love homemade vanilla!! I've almost finished my first bottle of it.
Dragonwarlord gave me all of the instructions and was really great about answering all of my questions throughout the process. I just used a cheap vodka and bought cheap beans from ebay
It is the best vanilla I've ever tried, even better than the super expensive nielsen-massey stuff! I used a cheesecloth to strain out the beans so that I didn't have little black dots in my bc and I put it in everything now. I will never go back to regular store bought extract again...unless I'm in a pinch But seriously, you should all try this...it cost me about $13 for both the beans and the vodka and I still have some left, 6 months later! And I use it ALL the time! Please try this..you won't regret it!
Is there any risk of it going bad, or does the alcohol preserve it? I'm wondering b/c I'd really like to make it but wonder about such a big bottle of it. Of course, with as much as I use it, it probably wouldn't have time to go bad. 
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