It’s stronger and more flavorful than vanilla extract. If you're in a hurry, it’s quicker to use than scraping out a vanilla bean, AND you are using the entire bean. Not just the seeds! If you are baking something sweet and you want that vanilla flavor to really stand out, the paste is a nice option. It can last at least 2-3 years. Keep it in an air tight jar away from direct heat and sunlight. I’ve read in several forums that If you keep it in the refrigerator, the vanilla may separate and will not last as long, as well as condensation may form and ruin your paste. Although, if you live in a humid climate the shelf life may be shortened. So, you decide which will work best for you!:)
The vanilla bean paste you’ll find in the stores are notoriously heavy with corn syrup. If that’s ok, there are a ton of recipes out there to choose from. I wanted something a little cleaner than the store bought versions. This recipe has no corn syrup or white sugar.
Add it to some yummy cream cheese frosting, Bavarian cream, or homemade vanilla ice cream. I’m sure you will notice the difference!
This recipe makes roughly 1 & 1/2 cups of vanilla bean paste
Ingredients
- 5oz of grade A vanilla beans. Any origin will do. (5oz can be anywhere from 30 beans to 40 or even 50 beans depending on bean size, so knowing the weight is very important.)
- (You can use vanilla beans that have already been extracted as well. Remove them from the extract and lay them out on a paper towel or dish towel overnight to dry. Then weigh them for use here.)
- 6 Tbsp VanillaPura extract
- 1 2/3 cups of organic raw agave nectar ( you could try vegetable glycerin for sugar free option)
Instructions:
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth (you can chop up the vanilla beans if you want to save some time). Try to have minimal vanilla "lumps."
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a glass jar and pour the blended slurry into the strainer. Using a spoon, press the pulp into the strainer, so a clean, filtered paste falls into the jar.
- Continue adding and pressing the pulp until it is no longer dripping into the jar. Your vanilla bean paste is now ready for use! Store the paste in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place. Do not store in a refrigerator. Shelf life is usually 1 year.
We'd love to hear about your creative uses for vanilla bean paste. Share them with us so we can share them with our global VanillaPura family!
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