Recipes Worth Trying with High-Quality Vanilla Beans

 

One of the most sought-after flavors, vanilla impart sweet, floral and earthy flavor to dishes. The best-known as one of the most important ingredients in cakes, breads, ice-cream and custards,  vanilla extract or bean powder needs to add in these recipes. You can either prepare the extract or bean power by purchasing high-grade Vanilla beans or buy the extract directly from the online marketplace.

If you have not prepared any vanilla-related dish before, this guide will help you. Assorted below are two recipes that you can easily try at home that too in a limited time. But ensure to purchase Grade A vanilla beans either Madagascar or Tahitian for getting the real flavor and aroma.

Recipe 1: Vanilla Bean Yogurt

Ingredients Required: 1 cup of organic whole milk, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 whole vanilla bean and 1 cup of yogurt

Take vanilla beans and scrape out the vanilla seeds with a pointed knife. Boil the milk and after some time add vanilla seeds and sugar in it. Allow the milk to cool down. Take 1 cup of yogurt starter into a jar and add the milk to it. Keep the jar aside for about 6-7 hours in a partially covered position. Once the yogurt gets set, keep the yogurt in the refrigerator for a minimum 4 hours before eating. Do not throw the used vanilla pod after scraping; use it for preparing vanilla sugar instead.

Recipe 2:Watermelon Vanilla Smoothie

Ingredients: ½ cup of coconut milk, few slices of watermelon and 1 pod of fresh vanilla bean seeds. You can even use ¼ tablespoon of vanilla bean powder instead of pod.

Place all ingredients i.e. coconut milk, slices of watermelon and vanilla bean seeds or bean powder in a blender and blend it till it become a smooth paste. Keep adding little amount of liquid until the desired consistency is obtained. Once it is prepared, garnish it with a watermelon slice and a few mint leaves to enjoy it!

Tips Related to Vanila Beans

• You must be surprised to hear that you can replace the vanilla beans in some recipes with vanilla bean paste. However, it is crucial to replace the beans with paste in the right quantity to get the desired flavor and aroma. Replace 1 bean with 1 tsp of vanilla paste for preparing sweet and baked dishes.
• If you are using vanilla sugar in the place of normal sugar, add it in the right quantity as the natural sweetness of vanilla make any baked dishes sweet and flavorful.
• If you have prepared the homemade vanilla extract, prefer storing it in a cook and dark place. Shake the extract once or twice a week.

If you have bought high-quality vanilla beans in the large quantity, ensure to store them in the right manner for preserving their freshness and aroma. Use an airtight container to keep the beans and keep them in the coolest part of the kitchen. In this way, you can use the beans for up to 18 months. However, if you have prepared the vanilla extract, vanilla paste or vanilla sugar from the vanilla beans, store them in an air-tight container and keep them in the cool and dark place. In this manner, you can use them for a long time, say even for over 2 years.

If you are purchasing vanilla beans from the nearest supermarket, ensure to purchase blemish-free and pliable beans. Check the label of each bean and prefer purchasing the products encompassing “organic” labels. Such products have natural taste and do not contain any preservative or chemical also. So, make your purchase and give these recipes a try!