Making Vanilla Bean Paste at Home
Vanilla bean paste is a concentrated mixture of scraped vanilla bean seeds suspended in a thick, sugar-based syrup. Making it yourself involves balancing the intensity of the beans with a light syrup or a neutral glycerine base to keep the seeds evenly distributed rather than sinking to the bottom of the jar.
Consistency is everything.
The goal is a thick, pourable syrup that keeps the tiny black seeds suspended throughout. If your base is too thin, the seeds will settle; too thick, and it will turn into a solid mass.
- small heavy-bottomed saucepan
- paring knife
- whisk
- sterilized small glass jar
- fine-mesh sieve
What goes in.
- 6Grade A vanilla beans
- 1/2 cupgranulated sugar
- 1/4 cupwater
- 1 tbspfood-grade vegetable glycerine
Managing the seed density
The glycerine is the secret to keeping the seeds suspended in the syrup. Without it, the seeds will naturally drift to the bottom of your storage jar regardless of how thick the syrup is.
The method.
Split the beans
Use a sharp paring knife to slice each vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape the seeds out with the back of the knife and set them aside.
Prepare the syrup
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then let it simmer until it reaches the consistency of a thin coat on the back of a spoon.
Combine
Remove the syrup from heat. Stir in the vanilla seeds and the glycerine. Let the mixture cool completely; it will thicken as it drops to room temperature.
Store
Pour into a sterilized jar. If you want a smoother texture, you can pulse the mixture briefly, but keep the seeds intact for the traditional look.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Do not discard the empty bean pods; place them in a jar of sugar to create vanilla-infused sugar.
Use Grade A beans, which are plumper and contain more natural moisture than dry Grade B pods.
Store in a cool, dark cupboard; the paste will maintain its potency for up to a year.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use alcohol instead of glycerine?
You can use high-proof vodka to create an extract, but alcohol will not keep the seeds suspended as effectively as glycerine does. Glycerine provides the necessary body.
How much paste replaces a whole bean?
Generally, one tablespoon of homemade paste is equivalent to the seeds of one whole vanilla bean.
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