About the Recipe
When we know that most vanilla extracts or essences are made with artificial flavours, synthetic vanillin, whilst vanilla beans have a whole range of unique organoleptic molecules depending on the variety and the terroir where it grows and which cannot be synthesized, we enjoy it like a good wine, because it's really worth it price!
Ingredients
1l of rum Agricole or fermented cane juice (or other alcohol at 40° minimum).
+- 100 vanilla pods or 400Gr of Vanilla beans or Vanilla beans ground
Best practice and result ratio being 400 Gr of Vanilla per liter for a pure and powerfull Vanilla Extract
Preparation
Most vanilla extracts or essences are made with artificial flavours, synthetic vanillin, whilst vanilla beans have a whole range of unique organoleptic molecules depending on the variety and the terroir where it grows which cannot be synthesized. We therefore strongly recommend using vanilla beans in your recipes, or making your own vanilla extract from vanilla beans. Here are the steps:
Sterilize the glass bottle you are going to use by immersing it, as well as its cap, in boiling water for 10 minutes, then leaving them to dry on a clean cloth.
Using a knife, split the pods lengthwise and scrape out the seeds to put them in the bottle. Add the bark entirely or may cut in fine slice if the pods are oily or grind if they are dry enough for a more efficient extraction process. Some put the entire vanilla pods in a hope to later on still scrap the seeds out, which is pointless since the seeds will be exhausted and the aromas and flavours already infused in the alcohol.
Pour the alcohol (fermented cane juice, agricole rum, vodka for a more neutral extract, or an alcohol of at least 40°) over the beans, close the jar and shake.
You may use an ultra-sound device to enhance the extraction, but time is still necessary to obtain the most of the aromatic molecules.
Store the jar in a place protected from light and heat, and shake it once a week during a month, after which you let it rest 12 months to obtain a super extra Vanilla Extract that you will filter just before use.
***Important Notes and Tips***
The colour of the extract is a good indicator that it is working well, it should get darker and darker.
The better the quality of alcohol as well as of the vanilla beans, the better the quality of the extract.
You can start the recipe directly with used or dried pods, but you will need to add more, or leave to infuse longer to obtain a similar quality product.
Do not add sugar nor water to the preparation to prevent it from fermenting and creating mold.
You may add peppers, berries, dried fruits or spices.