With the amount of cakes and cookies I bake, you can imagine how much vanilla extract I get through. And that stuff is pricey.
I was watching the fabulous Ina Garten one day (on the television, she wasn't sitting in my living room). She makes her own vanilla extract and she showed how easy it is.
So that is exactly what I did and I am very impressed.
You will need:
12 vanilla pods
Vodka
A lidded jar or two
I used a whole bottle of vodka (it's not my favourite tipple), and split it between two mason jars.
I cut the vanilla pods in half and put 6 in one jar and 6 in the other.
Put the lid on and that's pretty much it.
I put the jars on a shelf and have been giving them a shake every few days.
Ina recommends leaving them for at least one month before using, preferably six months.
She leaves the vanilla pods in, and tops the jars up with more vodka every so often. Keeping the jar going for years!
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