Homemade is often cheaper and better quality than shop bought – it’s one of the reasons why I am a massive advocate of cooking from scratch!
This is one of my favourite kitchen hacks: homemade vanilla extract.
Vanilla extract is made from just 2 ingredients: vodka and vanilla beans – the cost to make 250ml is about £10 which is significantly cheaper than buying a good quality one from the supermarket.
So how do you make it?
- Split 5 vanilla pods lengthways
- Immerse them in a bottle containing 225ml of vodka
- Put on the lid and give it a good shake
- Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight (I suggest a cupboard).
- Shake once a week
- For the best flavour, leave for 6+ months
- When you are ready to use, either remove the beans or top up with a little vodka after each use (you want the beans to stay submerged in the liquid)
- After 1 year of frequent use and refilling, you will you find the flavour becomes less intense. Simply remove the old beans, add fresh beans, shake, and continue to use/refill
A great kitchen hack that means you’ll always have good quality vanilla extract in your store cupboard!
