Monday, March 15, 2010

Vanilla Hints and Tips

We're happy to share a few extra tips on how to use your vanilla bean or homemade vanilla extract. Enjoy.
~It is the flavoring ingredient in "cream" soda. Add to hot or cold chocolate drinks, coffee flavored beverages, tea and fruit base punches.

~Add snipped pieces of vanilla bean to unflavored black tea. Store in an airtight tin so the flavors will for a few weeks. Your black tea will 'accept' the vanilla flavor easily.

~Add a vanilla bean to purchased vanilla for additional flavor.

~The bean is stronger than the extract it does not evaporate and can be washed and used over again.

~To make Vanilla Sugar: place 1/2 bean and 2 granulated sugar in your blender or food processor. Turn on high until well blended. Serve in tea, on cereal, sugar cookies, on fruit, etc.

~Simmer vanilla bean in warm milk and use in custards and puddings.

~Add extract to pancake and waffle mixtures, and to egg and milk mixtures for French Toast

~In the tearoom, we sprinkle our oven fresh scones with confectioner's sugar that has a vanilla bean tucked in the jar.

Do you use your vanilla bean and/or extract in any special way?

1 comment:

Marilyn Miller said...

No, but I do keep a vanilla bean in the vanilla to give a fuller flavor. Thanks for the tips.