I am not someone who enjoys drinking but there is one reason I will venture into our local liquor store.
That is to purchase vodka to make homemade vanilla extract. I tried it at first on the desire to see if it would really be any different than store bought and now I am sold. This vanilla made here in my kitchen makes each item cooked with it taste richer, more flavorful and overall much better. I never knew how much 1 tsp of vanilla in a baked item could change the taste so much. Good-bye store bought vanilla, never again will I buy it. So inspired by my vanilla I now have peeled and sliced almonds soaking in vodka to make my own almond extract.
If you are so inclined to make your own this is all that is required:
Purchase a bottle of vodka
Place in it about 6 whole vanilla beans (bigger bottles require more and smaller less, use your best judgement)
Put the bottle of soaking beans in the dark for 3 months
Take the bottle out and give it a good shake and you now have vanilla extract
When your vanilla starts running low add more vodka to your bottle and give the bottle another shake.
I promise you will love this new addition to your cooking.
4 comments:
I just made this for Christmas gifts this year! We started it in ...May, I think? One bottle of vodka got me about 10 small bottles of vanilla to gift away. I actually had shared the vodka bottle with a friend, so I guess it would have made 20 of the small bottles? Anyway, it smells SO good, and I agree - tastes better, too! My sister-in-law is experimenting with orange and lemon rind/zest in vodka as well for flavoring. I hadn't even thought of almond! Awesome! :)
How did the almond extract turn out?? As lovely as the vanilla?
almond extract still has another month to sit before it can be used. But I am excited for when we can start cooking with it!
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