Few people know that vanilla is not just a plant, but a beautiful vine with grassy, ​​climbing stems and numerous aerial roots. To flavor dishes, its fruits are used - narrow boxes up to 30 cm long. In stores, vanilla in pods is sold, as a rule, already packaged. On the best grades, deposits of vanillin crystals are noticeable. They are elastic and oily to the touch. Light-colored, brittle and hard, cracked and open fruits are considered low-quality - you should not buy them. In British supermarkets, vanilla is sold in pods sealed in glass ampoules (cones). One such pod costs about one and a half pounds. So, walking through our supermarkets, you will get the opportunity to compare prices, and at the same time - quality.
Vanilla extract sold in stores is usually synthesized artificially. Its aroma, although close to natural, is still different from it.
According to the laws of all developed countries, the ratio of natural and artificial substances is indicated on the labels of products flavored with vanilla. If, for example, “vanilla ice cream” is written on the label, then only natural vanilla or vanilla extract is used, and the indication “vanilla flavored ice cream” indicates the content of artificial vanillin (up to 42%). The eloquent “artificial vanilla-flavored ice cream” warns of the absence of natural vanilla.
Many of us are accustomed to adding vanilla to sweet (most often flour) dishes, but some leading chefs are experimenting by adding it to poultry and vegetable sauces, coffee and tea. I must say that these experiments are very successful.
If you cannot find natural vanilla extract or do not trust the manufacturers, try making vanilla extract using the recipes given.
The first recipe . Vanilla extract in milk
Suitable for so-called "urgent cases." It is prepared quickly, but it is stored, as you might guess, not for long. Two pods are cut lengthwise, boiled in a glass of milk (the fire is as small as possible) for five minutes, then a glass of sugar is added and the mixture is boiled for another five minutes (be sure to stir). Milk will thicken and acquire a very persistent aroma. The extract is stored in the refrigerator.
The second recipe. Vanilla sugar
The pods are cut lengthwise and sprinkled with sugar. The can is closed with a tight lid. The longer the sugar is in this jar, the stronger and more stable its flavor. It is used to flavor desserts, creams, drinks, etc. As you spend it, sugar is simply poured into a jar.
The recipe is the third . Alcohol Vanilla Extract
Alcohol has the ability to “draw out” aromas, therefore, perhaps, this is the best option that allows for longer storage and an especially persistent aroma. Its only negative is the duration of the preparation.
Nine high-quality vanilla pods (about 25 grams) are poured with a glass of vodka (a lower concentration is achieved by reducing the number of pods) and infused for at least a month. The aroma will be purely vanilla, very concentrated. You can insist on cognac or rum, but in this case the aroma will turn out to be more complex and not always applicable. It is undesirable to use alcohol instead of vodka: in a 35% solution of alcohol, the aroma will be extracted 10% more than in 97% alcohol.
Vanilla extract can serve you for many years, so use only high-quality vodka and high-quality vanilla to make it. The vanilla variety affects aroma and taste. The best choice is the Bourbon variety.
A few nuances:
- Use dark glass to insist, protecting the extract from light;
- close the bottle tightly;
- take into account the weight of the pods: 1 pod weighs about three grams;
- periodically shake the extract;
- For storage, choose a cool and dark place, but not a refrigerator.
The full ripening of alcoholic vanilla extract will reach only six months later. Such an extract is similar to wine: the longer the exposure, the better it is. Therefore, it can be insisted up to 10 years.