I have a front hall closet where one can find many things “brewing”. It is a veritable laboratory for making Limoncello, Blood Orangecello, Poire William & Vanilla Extract. It is the gifting time of year and what better gift to bestow on fellow cooks than a bottle of homemade vanilla extract?
The only tricky part is planning ahead. I started this batch a few months ago, every so often stopping by to give it a shake. Otherwise it just sat in the dark steeping…getting darker by the week. It is as “easy as this”…..
It’s December 15 and it is time…to decant, label & do a little gift-giving.
Simple recipe:
1 liter of vodka, about 10-15 vanilla beans split & a few months
1. Place split vanilla beans down into bottle of vodka. Replace lid & shake. Place in dark closet or cabinet & shake about once a week. I waited 6 months to decant. I started this batch in July. Every week the extract darken and gets a richer looking color.
2. Decant carefully into glass bottles that have been sterilized in boiling water & air-dried. Add a tight-fitting lid. (My extract was very “clean” so I did not strain it, but you can add this step if you have lots of particulates in the liquid.
(There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of recipes on the internet for making your own vanilla extract. My recipe is easy but there are many other good easy recipes available that might suit you better…or make up your own.)
I made labels with a simple roller alphabet stamp (on-line/Paper Source) & plain brown tags. I “sealed” the top of the bottles with sticky backed decorative tape (Martha Stewart at Michaels).
I know that for the most part Vanilla should be stored in dark bottles, but as most folks keep their extracts in a cabinet or pantry I used these pretty clear bottles I already had. You can also find a large assortment of dark bottles at The Container Store if you prefer.
…make it, bake it…give it this Holiday….it’s “easy as that”
I’ve been planning to make my own vanilla extract ever since I ran out of the supply my friend gave me for the holidays last year. Thanks for the reminder–and the instructions.
Your recipe is really good! Fascinating! I wanted to try some it! I hope it will turn out really good just like yours!
I love this. What a wonderful gift to receive. Cheers.
Beautiful gifts that I’m sure everyone will thoroughly enjoy.
Yes this is a wonderful gift. But, as soon as I bottled it all I realized I need to make lots more for next year’s gift giving. So good luck when you try this and make lots!
beautiful looking…how is it in cocoa?
We will test it on our next Sunday crossword puzzling morning.
Most beautiful. Jill
lovely, lovely…..
Enjoy your little bottle my sweet.
the veritable trick is in the planning! I can’t wait to see all the different projects from the closet laboratory. when will poire william be ready?
Poire William should be ready for a taste very soon. I will keep you informed.
I’m so glad to have come on this post…especially since I’ve been trying to also make my own vanilla extract and have fallen a little discouraged to how long its taking for the scent of alcohol to wither away.
Oh well Teresa…you’ve given me a little more hope that it will finally work out in the end ;o)
Happy festive season and flavourful wishes,
Claudia
P.S. I bought the cream to make your homemade butter for my brunch this coming weekend ;o)
Claudia, thanks so much for stopping by. Good luck with the butter…it is absolutely fool proof. Let me know how it turns out. Happy Holidays.
You keep on giving us these wonderful treats of recipes Teresa! Another one to keep and to make soon.
Wishing you a happy christmas and new year x
Happy Holidays to you as well Claire. And thanks for stopping by so frequently in 2012.
Love it and those spectacular pictures