Looking for a last minute homemade holiday gift? Today, I am sharing how easy it is to make homemade vanilla extract. I have wanted to do this for years, but just never got around to it. Well last month, I was running low on my store bought bottle, so decided to give it a try. Not sure why I waited so long, because it literally takes no energy. All you need is vodka and vanilla beans. The hardest part is probably finding the vanilla beans. I believe you can purchase these online but I got mine at a local spice store. After I made mine, I actually saw Costco sells them, and they were much cheaper there but of course you have to buy in bulk. I believe the shelf life is pretty long, so you might consider that. Anyway give this a try. It would be great to take as a hostess gift, to give to your child’s teacher or give to a family member this holiday season!
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Ingredients:
Vodka, 1 c
Vanilla beans, 3
Slice your beans open by using a paring knife and making a slit down the length of the bean.
Next, if you are using a jar that is not tall (like I did), you might need to cut the entire bean. I cut mine into thirds. You will want to make sure the beans are completely covered by the vodka.
Add the beans to the glass jar and pour vodka on top.
That’s it! Well kind of, it’s not quite ready to use yet.
Just put the jar in a dark, dry place - like your pantry. Let it rest for 4-8 weeks, shaking once a week. This is what mine looked like after four weeks.
I have also read you can continue to add more vodka as the beans become exposed, getting new beans every three months. I personally don’t think I will be done with one cup of vanilla extract after three months, so don’t see myself needing to add more vodka. I will likely just repeat the entire process when it is close to gone, but a great option to have.
The shelf life is one year.
Better Bonus Tip: If you find the vanilla isn’t as strong of a flavor as you would like, consider adding more beans. The recommended ratio of vodka to vanilla beans varies greatly. I read anywhere from one to eight beans to one cup vodka.
If you are thinking Christmas is next week - there isn’t time. Wrong! Who said the vanilla has to be completely done steeping. Just add a cute little label with instructions to store in a dry, dark place and to shake weekly. Tie it around a nice glass jar with some ribbon or string and voila!
If you are looking for some other homemade gift ideas, consider my honey vanilla pecans, peppermint mocha almonds, herbed butter, basil salt, ranch dressing mix, taco seasoning, fajita seasoning, chili seasoning, infused cooking oil, peanut butter, chocolate and nut clusters or granola.
I wish you all a happy holiday season!
~Ashley
No comments:
Post a Comment