Why Make Vanilla Sugar?
Vanilla sugar made from natural vanilla beans offers a naturally healthy flavor and is very convenient to use. Simply use the appropriate amount of vanilla sugar when cooking or baking to effortlessly add a vanilla flavor to your dishes without having to split open vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds each time. This saves time and effort.
Moreover, once vanilla beans are split open and used, the remaining parts can quickly lose their aroma if not stored properly. By making vanilla sugar from vanilla beans, you can effectively extend the usability of the vanilla and prevent the waste of its aroma.
[More Vanilla Bean DIY]
- What to do with leftover vanilla beans? A 3-Step Process to Make Your Own Vanilla Salt!
- Two Steps to Make Vanilla Extract (Vanilla Liqueur): A Comprehensive Guide to Storage and Use
Ingredients for Making Vanilla Sugar
Ingredients
- 100g of sugar
- 1 vanilla bean(click here to buy Taiwanese vanilla beans)）
- A sealed jar
The ratio of sugar to vanilla bean is about 100:4. A single vanilla bean weighs approximately 4g, and you can adjust the ratio of vanilla to sugar according to your personal taste. The higher the proportion of vanilla, the stronger the flavor, although the cost will increase accordingly.
Using a sealed jar is necessary to prevent the sugar from clumping and to maintain the freshness of the vanilla sugar.
How to Make Vanilla Sugar
There are several methods to make vanilla sugar, including "unextracted" and "extracted" versions. The term "unextracted" means using the whole, intact vanilla bean (including the pod and seeds) without any cooking, whereas "extracted" means that only the vanilla pod’s skin, or the cooked vanilla bean, is used—this is considered a form of reusing the vanilla bean.
Because different baking methods may call for only using the vanilla seeds, the remaining vanilla pod (skin) might otherwise go to waste. It can be used to make vanilla sugar; however, since the concentration in repurposed vanilla pods differs, the flavor will certainly be less intense than that of vanilla sugar made from unextracted pods. You can adjust its use accordingly.
Method 1: The Unextracted Pod Method
(上圖)(In the image) Step 1: Cut the vanilla pod to the desired length based on your container’s height, then split it lengthwise.
(In the image) Step 2: Cover the inside of the pod with sugar; using the granular vanilla sugar, rub the vanilla seeds to scrape them out and mix them evenly with the sugar.
(In the image) As shown, the vanilla seeds are mixed into the sugar. If you don’t mind the extra effort, you can also scrape the seeds out with a spatula or spoon first and then mix them with the sugar; the resulting vanilla sugar will exhibit a light amber color.
(In the image) Step 3: Place the vanilla sugar into a sealed jar, then shake it up and down to ensure the vanilla seeds and sugar are thoroughly mixed. Let the mixture sit for about 14 days to allow the aroma to infuse into the sugar; during this period, shake the jar occasionally.
Other Methods for Making Vanilla Sugar (Using Extracted Pods)
Method 2: Reusing the Pod
- After scraping out the vanilla seeds as in Method 1, save the empty pods.
- Cut the empty pods into pieces and add them to the sugar.
- Shake the sealed jar up and down so that the pod pieces and sugar mix evenly.
- Let it sit for about 14 days before use.
Method 3: Oven Drying Method
- Clean and air-dry the used pod shells (or the pods remaining in vanilla extract).
- Place them in an oven at 120°C for 30 minutes until completely dry.
- Then, put the dried pod pieces together with sugar in a grinder and process for about one minute until thoroughly blended.
- This method produces vanilla sugar that should be left to rest for about one month before use.
Another, even simpler method for making vanilla sugar is to use vanilla powder. Vanilla Knight offers vanilla powder, which, besides being used in cooking and baking, can also be processed into vanilla sugar. If needed, you can visit the Vanilla Farmer (Vanilla Knight) online store to purchase it: click here to buyvanilla powder.
How to Store Vanilla Sugar?
The finished vanilla sugar and vanilla salt should be stored in a sealed jar in a cool, dry place. When using them, add the desired amount according to the needs of your dessert or dish, and sift the pod pieces during processing to maintain a delicate texture.
Usage of Vanilla Sugar
Vanilla sugar is a convenient and practical ingredient in everyday life:
1.Quick Seasoning: Coffee and tea: Add vanilla sugar to coffee, tea, or milk tea to enhance the flavor, creating vanilla-flavored beverages.
2.Simple Decoration: Sprinkling on baked goods: Dust vanilla sugar on bread, pancakes, puddings, custards, or cakes. When baked, it forms a crispy layer of vanilla caramel, enhancing texture and appearance.
3.Quick Homemade Vanilla Syrup: Syrup: Combine vanilla sugar with water and bring to a boil to quickly make a vanilla-flavored syrup for use on pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.
4.Vanilla Butter: Vanilla butter: Mix vanilla sugar with softened butter to quickly make vanilla-flavored butter, which can be used on toast, baked bread, or other baked goods—for example, in making vanilla French toast with vanilla sugar, butter, and egg.
[More Vanilla Bean DIY]
- What to do with leftover vanilla beans? A 3-Step Process to Make Your Own Vanilla Salt!
- Two Steps to Make Vanilla Extract (Vanilla Liqueur): A Comprehensive Guide to Storage and Use
