Homemade Madagascar Vanilla

By Pebbles-2

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Madagascar Vanilla Beans (can get from Amazon.com or Beanilla.com)
• 1.75 liters inexpensive Vodka
• 2-2 quart mason jars
• 24-4 oz. amber glass bottles (can get from Amazon.com, Beanilla.com or mountainroseherbs.com)

Preparation

Step 1

Thoroughly wash and dry 2 2-quart mason jars. Set aside.

Using a sharp knife, snip the ends off the vanilla beans, and slice each vanilla bean in half horizontally. Then starting about 1/4″ from one end, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise. The point here is to expose the millions of tiny vanilla bean seeds that are packed inside the beans. Don’t remove the seeds and try to not let them escape.Put the vanilla bean pieces (even the snipped ends) into canning jars. Pour vodka into each bottle completely covering the beans in the liquid. Place the lids on tightly and shake them very well. Store the jars in a cool, dark environment. Give them a good shake at least once a week.

The vanilla will be ready to use as soon as six weeks. However, the longer you allow it to age, the darker it will become and the more intense the vanilla flavor will be. After eight weeks the majority of the extraction process is complete and the vanilla is ready to use. In about six weeks, using a small funnel, I will fill the gift bottles with extract. Add one or two pieces of vanilla bean to each gift bottle so it will continue to intensify.

The vanilla beans will remain amazingly potent. You can refill the mason jars with vodka so the beans are always submerged in alcohol and you will have a never-ending supply of vanilla extract for baking, flavoring coffee and gifts throughout the year.