Frequently asked Questions
A Few Ideas to Get You Started
Synthetic vanilla is produced from lignin, a wood pulp extract made
from wood wastes..Yuck !
1/2 teaspoon of ground vanilla beans are equivalent of 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. One ( 1 ) inch of a vanilla bean is equivalent to one ( 1 ) teaspoon extract.
Why use a vanilla bean rather than extract in
baking????? Extract has a tendency pass off as vapor, especially when
heated to 300 degrees or more Fahrenheit. 1 vanilla bean equals about
Vanilla beans
should be wrapped well and stored at room temperature. Vanilla beans that
have dried out and hardened may be reconstituted in warm water, but much
of the flavor will be lost.
Ground Vanilla Beans - Dark and finely ground
beans are available commercially as well as for the home chef. The ground
beans are twice as strong as extract so use half the amount called for in
a recipe.
A popular use for the bean itself is as a
coffee stirrer to add a subtle vanilla flavor to one's morning caffeine
fix. Since vanilla beans can be rinsed and re-used multiple times,
aficionados don't have to worry about wasting the expensive bean each time
they make coffee. Others place vanilla in their sugar jar or a clothing
drawer to give a vanilla scent to their sweets or garments.
Some stores sell vanilla sugar, or you could make your own by burying a
vanilla bean in a zipper-lock plastic bag filled with 4 or more cups of
sugar. Seal the bag. The bean will flavor the sugar within a week or two.
One tablespoon of vanilla sugar has the flavoring
power of 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
How to cut vanilla beans
Complements of
3 teaspoons extract.
Vanilla Beans should never be refrigerated because they may develop mold
when chilled. They should be kept in an air-tight container at room
temperature. Add to desserts or beverages to boost sweet, fruity, or rich
flavors. Provides smooth rich background taste - use to balance sauces for
shellfish, chicken, and veal. Softens dairy flavors and reduces egginess
in French toast and meringues. Add to a mug of hot chocolate, coffee, or
tea for added richness.
Don't discard the used vanilla bean. Even beans that have been split and
used in cooking may be reused once or twice, until the flavor is gone. Wash
and dry the bean if it is coated with other ingredients. Wrap it tightly and
store at room temperature.
Juan J. San Mames
President
Always keep finger 1/2" behind knife.
If bean is hard, soak it in liquid until soft (milk or water, or liquid you will be using)
Use paper coffee filter if you don't want to show the seeds and bean in your recipe.
If you want your coffee to have real vanilla flavor, dry the vanilla bean until hard and drop a piece into your coffee mill before you grind your coffee and adjust to taste and cups.
Yield
A 7 to 9 inch vanilla bean will weight approximately 5 grams and will yield about 1 gram or 1/2 teaspoon of vanillin seeds. Half that amount should be enough to give flavor to a recipe for 4 to 5 people.
Remember that the vanillin seeds are the essence and flavor of the vanilla, so it is important that the skin be as thin as possible. You want a "plump" bean with a thin skin; you want lots of seeds with little moisture . By gently squeezing the bean between your fingers, you can tell how thick or thin the bean is. When the seeds are scraped out, they should come off the skin easily, and no mush residue should be present. If you see so called "sugar crystals" coming out of the bean use then do not discard the bean they are pure vanillin crystals