Homemade vanilla extract

[Alie]

:rock: I think I am going to do this for Christmas presents!

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007340how_to_make_vanilla_extract.php

[Lizz]

Cool! Where do you get vanilla beans? Whole foods?

[Mrs Sarah]

You can get vanilla beans at most grocery stores, but the cheapest place I've found is Costco.

[Phoebe]

EVERY Christmas, I think of doing this. I've yet to do so.

[Alie]

You can order them online. http://www.beanilla.com/

I've also seen them on Amazon.

[Phoebe]

Those are a great price, Alie. I got a Frontier catalog yesterday and the beans in the catalog are 2, 3 times as much!

[Alie]

I started mine last night! I left a little room at the top to add some dark rum before I give them away :eat:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/alisoncp/van1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/alisoncp/van2.jpg

[Kristy74]

I love these pictures, Alie ! I especially like the perspective of the second one...how cool!

[Michele]

Great idea Alie!


You can also shut the beans up in a container with sugar to make vanilla sugar for coffee and such.

[Sissy]

Where did you get the bottles? I love this idea. And those bottles are perfect.

[Alie]

thanks! The craft store had the most random selection of glass bottles :laugh: I bought all they had :indiff: Oh well... I think the different bottles are cute.

[Alie]

The only place I could find them was at Ben Franklin craft store. I looked at dollar stores, wal-mart, etc. They have them online but the shipping was steep.

[Karen]

this is a really cool idea Alie!

[Karen]

I'm still completely floored that it's a bean and VODKA :stars:

[Kristy74]

Just a little side note...it used to be something really special and kind of naughty when you were able to find real vanilla extract in the stores in Dubai/Abu Dhabi...it's got alcohol in it, so normally it never made it in...but occasionally it would slip through and be snatched up super quick at the grocery store! :laugh:

And I didn't say so before...but it is a really cool idea. :)

[Alie]

Just a little side note...it used to be something really special and kind of naughty when you were able to find real vanilla extract in the stores in Dubai/Abu Dhabi...it's got alcohol in it, so normally it never made it in...but occasionally it would slip through and be snatched up super quick at the grocery store! :laugh:

And I didn't say so before...but it is a really cool idea. :)

:laugh: :eek: That is funny!

I never really realized it was just pure alcohol! Commercial extract usually has some type of sugar syrup added. That is why I'm adding a little dark rum at the end so it is a little sweet.

[Lisa]

So, could you just add this to your Diet Coke as vanilla vodka too?

[Kristy74]

The stuff that I have seen (and purchased :hide:) in the UAE was made with Brandy. I can't remember if there was also sugar syrup in it (that wasn't the 'funny' part, so it didn't register!). But, I clearly remember buying a bottle that said brandy right on it in English - not sure if it was also in Arabic, but probably not - and feeling like I really had one over on the censors!

[Mrs Sarah]

Yum!!! Looks awesome! Great idea!

[Mrs Sarah]

I'm bumping this. I'm totally doing this for Christmas this year! I'm also thinking of making homemade citrus vodka as gifts as well.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Citrus-Vodka-60281

[Maeve]

Thanks for bumping! That is awesome, and I think I'll see about finding stuff to do this. Sweet!

[Alie]

Yay! That citrus vodka looks awesome! I'm totally doing that this year :D

[Alie]

here is a link to pictures of the final product I made: http://www.phenomsonline.com/board/showthread.php?t=39858&highlight=vanilla

[Trish]

The great part is that you can use any old rot gut vodka or rum you want to. The cheap stuff works just as well as the more expensive brands. My uncle makes his own vanilla and it's SO much better than the store bought stuff.
I have never done it, but always intended to (isn't that usually the case?)

[Drea]

Just a little side note...it used to be something really special and kind of naughty when you were able to find real vanilla extract in the stores in Dubai/Abu Dhabi...it's got alcohol in it, so normally it never made it in...but occasionally it would slip through and be snatched up super quick at the grocery store! :laugh:

And I didn't say so before...but it is a really cool idea. :)

I didn't realize that Dubai didn't allow alcohol. How long where you there? This is very interesting to me.

[Karen]

I really want to do this, but I think everyone that would appreciate it, is right here on this board making it too :laugh:

[Trish]

I still haven't located any vanilla beans. Where the eff is Whole Foods when I need them?

[Drea]

I really want to do this, but I think everyone that would appreciate it, is right here on this board making it too :laugh:

Right!? I was thinking of making them anyway and DH can give them to the women at his work.

[Robin]

I think I will make some of these for gifts this year. I also have been meaning to do this and keep forgetting. Thanks for the reminder, Alie!

[Dar]

:bump:

It's about that time. :right:

[Trish]

Once again, I will be looking for vanilla beans. I have the best intentions.

[Karen]

I want to do this...I saw beans at Penzy's.

[Alie]

I ordered my vanilla beans from Amazon :D

[Trish]

Alie, how many beans did you use for the bottles that you have?


It seems like the best deal to buy 1/2 lb. It's approximately 50 beans for $27.69 with free shipping. The reviews are all positive but one. Anyone want to share 1/2 lb. with me?

[Alie]

I think I got 1/2 lb! I used 2 per bottle and made 20 but they were different sizes. Some were bigger so I used 2.5. I had a couple left over and used them in recipes. You can freeze them.

[Stacey]

I want to do this, but I don't think I know anyone that would appreciate it.