Reviewed: Dec. 8, 2003

I am so very greatful that you've solved the vanilla mystery, Ginger. (With that name, you were obviously born to be a foodie!!!) I will never buy vanilla again, and think of the joy in giving someone a gorgeously adorned BIG bottle of home-made, low-carb, organic-as-it-gets Vanilla!!!! I will have and share immense pleasure from this gift of your recipe. Merry Christmas to you!

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28 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

SCDEBBIET

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Anderson, South Carolina, USA

Living In: Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Reviewed: Dec. 28, 2004

I don't think two vanilla beans is enough. I have made this too, however I use six vanilla beans.

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21 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

KarenKY

Reviewed: Oct. 23, 2006

This recipe rocks!! I used 4 large vanilla beans beacuse 2 beans didn't seem like much in that big bottle. It smells and tastes like the "pure" expensive stuff in the store, but it doesn't have any coloring in it so it's a lot lighter.

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17 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

sweetchickie

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Living In: Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada

Reviewed: Oct. 27, 2006

Should you split the vanilla beans before putting them in the vodka?

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18 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

irener52

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Wheaton, Illinois, USA

Reviewed: Nov. 3, 2006

I've tried a method very similar to this, but I used three vanilla beans. Even then, the final product (even after a year-and-a-half) is still nowhere near as strong in flavor as commercial vanilla extract. However, even though I wouldn't use this in cooking, I do find that it makes a good vanilla liqueur, of sorts. I like to add it to hot chocolate to give it a kick!

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2 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Tom Hamilton

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Ogden, Utah, USA

Reviewed: Dec. 11, 2006

It smells awesome. We are going to bake with it this week because it has set for long enough. We put in 6 beans split down the middle, we found them for very cheap at World Market.

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1 user found this review helpful

Reviewer:

melnicley

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Reviewed: Dec. 21, 2006

Based on some other reviewers' comments, I split 4 vanilla beans, cut them in 1/2" pieces, and using a well-cleaned out wine bottle for its dark colored glass, placed them in only a half-pint of vodka, and corked it for about 30 days. I shook the bottle up everyday to thoroughly distribute the vanilla seeds, then after 30 days strained it all through a coffee filter, and bottled them! It smells great and is a nice dark brown color. I also did the same thing with a half-pint of rum for a vanilla-rum extract. Wish I would have made more now. With these changes, this is a 5-star recipe and great little Christmas gifts! Thanks, Ginger.

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Reviewer:

LADYJAYPEE

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Seattle, Washington, USA

Reviewed: Feb. 27, 2007

I was inspired to make this based on LadyJayPee's beautiful pictures. I agree that the amt. of vanilla bean be increased. I only had dark rum, and used 6 beans; 3 each of Tahitian and Mexican varieties. It smells and tastes wonderful, and is good quality vanilla for a fraction of the cost. Use only the freshest vanilla beans that are very pliable. Thanks for this cost-saving recipe.

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19 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

TUNISIANSWIFE

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: King Ferry, New York, USA

Living In: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Reviewed: May 15, 2007

As others added, you definitely need to increase the amount of beans per bottle. Between 6 and 10 is good. You get the best results if you expose as much of the interior of the bean as possible. Give the beans a couple of whirls in a small food processor after you split them open for optimum results and allow the mixture to sit for at least 4 months, shaking about once a week, for best results. You will never get vanilla as good as you get from the store out of it (you would have to shake the bottle every waking moment to do so), but it makes a great addition to stir fry or as a topping for desserts.

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1 user found this review helpful