Vanilla Extract

Vanilla extract is in used from the last hundred years. The very first vanilla extract was made at apothecary shops, the first pharmacies and drug stores, and this was in a syrup form. These were very sweet in taste and were used for upset stomach. In today’s world vanilla extract is available at every convenience store, supermarkets, gourmet shops and online shops. Thought other forms rather then extract are also in use like: imitation vanilla, vanilla blend, double fold vanilla, vanilla powder and vanilla paste.

Pure vanilla extract gives many benefits side by side, on one hand it gives complex tastes on the other hand it holds 250 organic components creating unique aroma. The ranges in vanilla taste and aroma is due to the difference in climates and soil medium where bean of vanilla is being cultivated. The two famous forms of vanilla are: Bourbon and Tahitian

How do you make vanilla extract? A commonly asked question has a very simple answer. By percolating or macerating chopped vanilla beans with ethyl alcohol and water makes a pure vanilla extract. Making vanilla extract needs very low temperature to keep the maximum vanilla flavor, although most of the manufacturer of extract feels to keep a high temperature to get the best extraction. Consistent blend of beans are in use of different companies to keep the signature flavor. It took 48 hours to form a vanilla extract. This extract mellow in tanks together with beans from days to week and thus amber-color liquid is filtered and bottled. This extract holds sugar, corn syrup, caramel, colors and stabilizers. Though vanilla is naturally sweet but vanilla extract recipe needs additional sweeteners, most of the companies make vanilla extract with additional 25% or more sugar. Adding 20% of sugar or more in newly made vanilla extract is needed to edge off the harshness of un-aged vanilla extract, however with age the harshness of vanilla extract reduces. Extract from premium beans has no or little sugar, offered by many consumers. Tough this will be very expensive but ranked at top for its quality. Vanilla extract must be kept at cool and dark place, lasting its aroma and taste.

Vanilla extract kit is available for all house-holds that can be used for making different edible items. Vanilla kit may contain the beans or seed of vanilla through which you can easy grow vanilla courtyard.

Imitation vanilla and coumarin are the substitute for vanilla extract. As premium vanilla extract was expensive and middle man can’t afford to buy, due to this reason imitation vanilla was discovered in Germany during the days 1870s. On the other hand coumarin was derivate from “Tonka bean”, bean of a tree native to Brazil; pronounce as “Dipteryx ordorata”

Is vanilla extract gluten free? Pure vanilla extract from the premium quality is free from gluten but other vanilla extracts which includes much synthetic substance do holds gluten. Similarly corn-free vanilla extract is the extracted vanilla from the prime quality of vanilla beans.

Varieties Of Pure Vanilla Extract:

1. Mexican Vanilla Is Made From Vanilla Planifolia
2. Bourbon Vanilla It Is Most Common Form Of Vanilla That We Use In Our Homes. It Is Originated From Mexico Where Actually The Vanilla Took Birth.
3. Indonesian Vanilla The Quality Of This Vanilla Depends On How It Is Dried And Extracted. It Is Very Much Similar To Bourbon Vanilla.
4. Some Growers Harvest Their Beans Too Early And Use A Short-Term Curing Process That Gives The Vanilla A Woodier, Phenolic Flavor As The Harvest Use To Keep Their Vanilla Beans From Fully Developing There For It Is Not Very Flavorful.
5. Tahitian Vanilla This Variety Comes From Planifolia Stock That Was Originated From Tahiti. It Is Wild In Quality. It Is Very Different In Flavor From Other Vanilla Extract Types.