vanilla cake

Vanilla

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(Joanna, I’ve owed you this post for like 2 weeks!)

I know it’s kinda, well vanilla, but I love me some vanilla.

As with most things food I decided I want my vanilla to be,

  1. quality
  2. thrifty
  3. a hands-on experience

so I ordered me some vanilla beans.

homemade vanilla

I sliced them in half and stuck them in some bourbon.

bourbon vanilla

This ‘extract’ will be ready in about a month.  I keep it in the pantry and shake it when I think of it.

bourbon vanilla extract

Extract is nice and easy but I’m becoming addicted to the straight up pulp from the center of the bean.

homemade vanilla extract

Especially after making a Vanilla Fig Coconut Flour Cake with it.

fig cake

After squeezing the pulp out of the bean for various baking projects I toss the shell into the mason jar containing my cherry bourbon.  Waste not, want not. 😉

As far as thrifty goes, I ordered my Madagascar vanilla beans from Olive Nation and paid about $15 for 1/4 pound or ~25 beans.  I’ve used about 5 beans so far and have a couple cakes and about 6 ounces of extract to show for it.  Pretty thrifty in my book.

Have you experimented with vanilla beans?  I’d love some ideas for savory ways to use them!