{"id":14139,"date":"2020-03-02T14:23:50","date_gmt":"2020-03-02T19:23:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bakeschool.com\/?p=14139"},"modified":"2023-07-18T14:37:16","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T18:37:16","slug":"how-to-bake-with-vanilla","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bakeschool.com\/how-to-bake-with-vanilla\/","title":{"rendered":"How to bake with vanilla"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Vanilla is an essential flavour in baking. There are so many ways to infuse your baked goods with the flavour of vanilla, like with vanilla beans or extracts, pastes or powders, sugars, and more. But not every form of vanilla is appropriate for every recipe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here's everything you need to know about the different vanilla products available and what recipes to use each of them, as well as a guide to making vanilla substitutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo courtesy of Nielsen-Massey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n[feast_advanced_jump_to]\n\n\n

What does vanilla taste like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla is a very popular flavour and scent, used in both the food and cosmetics\/beauty industry. The flavour of vanilla is sweet, with woodsy and smoky notes. The scent of vanilla is sometimes a little funky with sulfur notes and a little like rum. Depending on the country of origin and the type, some vanillas may be fruity, reminiscent of cherry even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given how little vanilla extract you add to most recipes, you might be wondering: is vanilla extract necessary in baking? Absolutely! Though you add small quantities of it to most recipes, vanilla adds sweetness, warmth, and complexity to the flavour of baked goods, especially basic recipes with few ingredients like a simple custard. Without it, many recipes would just taste sweet and one-noted, lacking the depth vanilla brings to recipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vanilla products on the market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla is a special ingredient. It's a luxury and a privilege that many of us are lucky to have access to. Before you bake anything with vanilla, it's important to understand what the vanilla products available are made with and the best application for each product so that you can get the most out of your vanilla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla beans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla beans are harvested from orchid plants as long green pods that look a lot like green beans. It's cultivated in Mexico, Indonesia, Madagascar (and specifically the Bourbon Island of Madagascar), and on Tahitian vanilla plantations, among other places. The pods go through a lengthy drying\/curing process. It takes months to transform the green vanilla bean into that soft, bright, shiny vanilla bean sold in stores, which is one of the reasons why vanilla beans are so expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pure vanilla extract<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pure vanilla extract is made by soaking the vanilla beans in a mixture of alcohol and water. Some companies may heat the mixture to improve the extraction process and to extract more vanilla flavour from each vanilla bean. You may notice that there's a little sugar in most commercial vanilla extracts, but not much. The concentration of vanilla extracts varies from brand to brand and depends on the method of extraction and how many vanilla beans are used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also make vanilla extract at home<\/a> with the recipe below if you have access to vanilla beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla bean paste<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla bean paste contains sugar, water, vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, as well as thickeners (usually gums). The ingredients are mixed together to form a thick, glossy vanilla bean paste with a concentrated vanilla flavour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla bean paste is sold in jars in specialty stores and some grocery stores and it's very easy to use and a great source of vanilla flavour in baking recipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artificial vanilla extract (also known as imitation vanilla or vanilla essence)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ask bakers whether they prefer pure or artificial vanilla extract and you will most likely get a passionate response. The fact is that artificial vanilla extract is made with vanillin, one of the main compounds extracted from vanilla beans. Vanillin is what makes vanilla taste and smell like vanilla (along with a few other minor compounds that are also extracted but in lesser amounts, which round out the flavour).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanillin is not only present in vanilla. It can also be extracted from clove oil and even petroleum and waste from the pulp and paper industry, which can surprise people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCormick has worked very hard on their imitation vanilla product and just because it's \"artificial\", does not mean you should avoid it. I'd argue that in some recipes, you should embrace imitation vanilla. And it's definitely worth giving it a try and experimenting with it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to read the fascinating story of how McCormick developed their imitation vanilla, read the Dorito Effect by Mark Schatzker, available on Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla powder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Today you can also buy vanilla in powder form, but not all vanilla powders are the same. There are actually two types of vanilla powders on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Vanilla powder where the beans are ground up into a dry, fine powder<\/strong>, and sold in jars. Heilala and LorAnn produce pure vanilla powder made from ground vanilla beans<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Vanilla powder made from dehydrated vanilla extract<\/strong>. Nielsen-Massey sells this type of concentrated vanilla powder. Vanilla extract is dehydrated to form a fine, dry vanilla extract powder. You'll notice that the ingredient list includes maltodextrin (a starch), which is added to keep the vanilla powder from clumping.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Vanilla sugar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Vanilla sugar is especially common in Europe, especially in France as \"sucre vanill\u00e9\". Vanilla sugar is sold in packets in grocery stores and it's an easy way to add vanilla flavour to baked goods. It's usually incorporated into cake batters or cookie doughs before baking, but you can also use vanilla sugar as a \"finishing sugar\", sprinkling it on top of doughnuts after frying, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can make vanilla sugar<\/a> at home. I have a 250 mL jar of granulated sugar with leftover used vanilla pods stuffed into the sugar. I let it sit for a few months and the vanilla infuses the sugar. You could also dry and then grind leftover used vanilla pods, and add this powder to a jar of sugar. The goal here is to not waste the vanilla pods and to get the most out of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another way to make vanilla sugar would be to add a few drops of vanilla extract to a small jar of sugar. Mix it well to distribute the vanilla evenly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Which vanilla product should you use and when<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Depending on the recipe you are making, certain vanilla products may be more appropriate than others. For example, in some recipes, using a whole vanilla bean would be a waste. Find out why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When do you use vanilla beans in baking?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The best recipes for vanilla beans would be any recipe where you can infuse a liquid with the bean over low heat. Make a vanilla bean pastry cream<\/a> or a cr\u00e8me anglaise<\/a> by infusing milk with a vanilla bean. If you are making a vanilla tapioca pudding<\/a> that is heated on the stove, you can infuse the pudding mixture with a vanilla bean. Use a vanilla bean to flavour poaching liquid for wine-poached pears<\/a> or poached quince<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When making custards for ice cream (like this cherry bourbon ice cream<\/a>), this is the perfect opportunity to slip in a vanilla bean for added flavour. When you make panna cotta, you can infuse the milk with a vanilla bean before dissolving the gelatin in the hot milk mixture, like in this vanilla bean panna cotta<\/a>. With vanilla beans, it's really best to use a large volume of liquid and to heat the liquid gently in order to extract the flavour from the bean without damaging the flavour compounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to use them<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    To infuse a liquid with a vanilla bean, there are a few steps you should take in order to improve the extraction of the flavour into the liquid:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Place the vanilla bean on a cutting board.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Using the sharp blade of a pairing knife, carefully split the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise, to open it up from top to bottom.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Lay the two halves flat out on the cutting board.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Using the back of the pairing knife, scrape at the inside of each half, from top to bottom, to remove all the seeds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Add the seeds and the scraped bean directly to the liquid you are infusing BEFORE<\/span> heating the mixture. The heat combined with a large volume of liquid will allow you to extract the flavour from the bean and seeds.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      What to do with a used bean<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      After steeping a vanilla bean in a liquid, you can still reuse it. Rinse the vanilla bean to remove the steeping liquid, then let it dry a few days to remove any humidity and water. I take the dry leftover vanilla bean and place it in a cup of granulated sugar to lightly flavour the sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      When to not use them<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      To me, it would be wasteful to use a vanilla bean in a cookie dough or a cake batter recipe. These recipes are quick and there are no steps to extract the flavour from the bean and the seeds. I just don't see the point in using a vanilla bean in cookie dough or a cake recipe, though others may recommend it. It seems wasteful and expensive for no good reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Save your vanilla beans for custards, sauces, poaching liquids, ice creams, etc. and any recipes that involve making a hot syrup or custard base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Vanilla extract: when and how do you use it?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Unlike whole vanilla beans which have to be steeped to extract the flavour, the flavour in vanilla extract is already \"extracted\" (duh!), which means it's the flavour of the bean, in liquid form. Use vanilla extract in recipes for thick chewy chocolate chip cookies<\/a>, chewy oatmeal cookies<\/a>,  vanilla cakes<\/a>, chocolate chip bundt cake<\/a>, etc. What these recipes have in common is that there is no step where you could infuse a component of the recipe with a vanilla bean. In fact, many of these recipes (the cookies), don't even include a liquid. Vanilla beans are completely inappropriate for these types of recipes and would be a waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Remember vanilla extract is delicate and volatile, so it's not appropriate to add vanilla extract to a mixture you are going to heat on the stove. If you are making vanilla ice cream with vanilla extract, add the extract AFTER<\/span> heating, not before. Some will even add vanilla extract after the custard has cooled, just before churning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Vanilla paste: when and how do you use it?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Vanilla bean paste is a thicker form of vanilla extract that also contains the seeds of the vanilla bean. You can replace vanilla extract in any recipe with vanilla bean paste, though it would be best used in recipes where you can see the flecks of vanilla bean (like ice creams, custards, panna cottas, sauces, and frostings). Otherwise, just use vanilla extract. Add vanilla bean paste in the same way you would vanilla extract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Vanilla bean paste is not the same as vanilla beans and therefore can't be used in the same way. In recipes that are heated, stir vanilla paste in AFTER<\/span> heating just like other delicate extracts, while vanilla beans are added BEFORE<\/span> heating in order to extract flavour. Vanilla paste would work great in Italian meringue buttercream<\/a> or thick cream cheese frosting<\/a> where the flavour would be most appreciated and the flecks of vanilla seeds would be so pretty. Vanilla bean paste would make a great addition to custards and ice creams. Again, just make sure to add the paste AFTER<\/span> you've taken the mixture off the heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Imitation vanilla: when should you use artificial vanilla and how?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Imitation vanilla is controversial and many bakers will put down their foot and flat-out refuse to use it. This is foolish, in my opinion. In baked goods like brownies, cookies, and cakes, you can absolutely use imitation vanilla and it will work just fine, if not better. A taste test from the team at Epicurious<\/a> revealed that sometimes, imitation makes better-tasting baked goods!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      I would use artificial vanilla extract with caution in things like custards, pastry creams, ice creams, and panna cotta. These recipes have few ingredients and a lot of the flavour comes from the vanilla. Imitation vanilla might overpower and lead to a medicinal flavour that is over-the-top or even unpleasant in these recipes. If you want to use artificial vanilla in a custard-type recipe, you may want to pull back and use less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      On the other hand, for the Milk Bar birthday cake<\/a>, Christina Tosi leans into the artificial extract because that artificial extract will make your frosting taste more like commercial frosting in a can, which is what you want in this recipe. Imitation extract gives commercial baked goods a distinct flavour that can be very nostalgic. Give it a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Photo courtesy of Nielsen-Massey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Vanilla substitutions, replacements, and alternatives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      When it comes to vanilla substitutions, it's not an exact science and the results vary depending on the product and the brand you are using. Vanilla paste substitutions are brand-dependent, as some brands may be more concentrated in flavour than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Vanilla powder substitutions are also a little tricky because not all vanilla powders are the same. Some vanilla powders are pure ground vanilla beans, while other vanilla powders are made by concentrating vanilla extract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Here's a rough guide to get you started. Feel free to experiment and see what substitutions work best for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Vanilla bean substitutions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Vanilla beans are used in recipes when a mixture is heated. In a recipe where the bean is steeped in a hot liquid or in a cooked custard recipe, you can replace the vanilla bean with vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla powders derived from dehydrated extract, but you should add the vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla powders derived from dehydrated extract AFTER<\/span> the mixture is heated, so when you take the pan off the heat, that's when you add the vanilla product. These products are not as stable as the bean, so it's definitely best to add them after you are done heating\/cooking the mixture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Here are your options for replacing a vanilla bean in a recipe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n