Shake and Sit Vanilla Extract
Try this Shake and Sit Vanilla Extract recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Shake and Sit Vanilla Extract recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (0g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Using a knife cut a line through the top layer of the vanilla bean long ways and scrape out the vanilla beans with a spoon.
- Add vanilla beans and seeds to a jar and cover with alcohol. Make sure all the beans are submerged.
- Shake it all up!
- Store it in a cool dark place. Let it sit.
- Continuing shaking 2 times a week for a minimum of 8 weeks. (I find that it's really best around 6 months.)
- You'll know it's ready when the alcohol becomes as dark as the beans. Enjoy!
Making your own vanilla extract requires absolute patience because alcohol extraction relies on time rather than heat to draw out complex flavor compounds from the pod. While commercial extracts use heat acceleration, home infusion demands a dark cupboard maintained between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent volatile aromatics from degrading prematurely. When evaluating progress, check the liquid rather than relying on a calendar: the alcohol must match the dark, opaque color of the original pods before bottling. Pair this finished extract with high-fat baked goods like shortbread, panna cotta, or buttercream frosting where the alcohol base can fully evaporate, leaving behind pure bean flavor.
- Use Grade B vanilla beans instead of Grade A because drier pods contain less moisture and release their seeds more readily into the alcohol.
- Maintain an 80-proof spirit concentration to properly dissolve the vanillin compounds without diluting the solvent.
- Store the glass jar away from direct sunlight, shaking the contents twice weekly for a minimum of eight weeks.
Properly aged extract will keep indefinitely in a dark pantry without spoiling. Ensuring complete bean submersion prevents mold growth during the long steeping phase.
