Homemade Vanilla Sugar and Vanilla Extract

Ever since I learnt how wonderfully fragrant real vanilla is, I’ve wanted to get my hand on the real McCoy. Although vanilla grows in South India, it’s mostly exported, having hardly any value in Indian cuisine. So all this while I used the bottled essence (while this isn't as bad as it sounds). One fine day when I finally found vanilla beans at a gourmet store I was ecstatic! I started thinking of all the recipes I’ll use them in and how aromatic my desserts will become with the real vanilla bean. :D

To have a predominant flavour of vanilla in almost everything, I made vanilla sugar and vanilla extract.

You can use vanilla sugar in place of granulated sugar. Use it to flavour tea, coffee, cookies, cakes, pies or sprinkle on fruits – whatever you fancy. You can use the homemade vanilla extract in place of the store bought extract and have a more pronounced flavour of the vanilla. My extract is only two days old but it already smells so good!

Vanilla Sugar

• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 2 cups granulated sugar

1. Place the vanilla bean into a airtight glass jar and completely cover it with the sugar.
2. Shake the container once a day.
3. The sugar is ready to be used within two weeks.
4. The vanilla bean can be reused to flavor additional granulated sugar.
   

Vanilla Extract

• 180 ml/6 fl oz. vodka
• 2 vanilla beans (or more)

1. Split the vanilla beans, then cut into half and drop it into a sterilised bottle with vodka.
2. Give it a good shake everyday.
3. The extract will be ready for use in 6-8 weeks. You can let the beans remain in the bottle so it's only get more flavourful by the day.

For both the extract and the sugar, you could also add used vanilla beans – they still have a tonne of flavour left.

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