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Bottomless Vanilla Extract

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Living: Little Jars, Big Flavors"


Recipe Introduction

"This is something every baker should have. It's more flavorful and usually less expensive than store-bought vanilla, and it makes a wonderful gift. Why heat the alcohol? It helps speed up the infusion. Use whole vanilla beans to make your first bottles. When you're running low on vanilla after that, you can add scraped-out beans (from other recipes that use the seeds) to each bottle, and top off with more alcohol."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 vanilla beans
â—¦ 3 cups 80-proof vodka or bourbon


Recipe

Cut one vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape seeds into a clean (½-pint) jar. Cut scraped bean pod in half crosswise, and add to jar. Repeat procedure with remaining beans and two more clean jars.

Place vodka in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour 1 cup vodka over bean pod and vanilla bean seeds in each jar. Let cool to room temperature.

Cover jars with tight-fitting lids, and store at room temperature one week, shaking daily, before using. If desired, strain liquid into clean decorative bottles with tight-fitting lids, and discard solids. Store in a cool, dark place indefinitely.


Makes 3 (½-pint) jars for the shelf



• Note: The vodka-based version has the purest vanilla flavor. Though both extracts turn a rich brown after one week, the bourbon-based version is a smidge darker. Both are delicious in frostings and baked goods.