Vanilla Extract gifts

I wanted to update my Vanilla Extract post from back in April.

We really have enjoyed the process and now the product of having homemade pure vanilla extract on hand at all times. We let it age for 9 months in our cool basement and gave them out as gifts this holiday season. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out, except for the labels being a little too dark. I had designed and printed them using zazzle.com (for under $10) so I couldn't complain much (my fault). The 4oz bottles I purchased on Ebay for about $28. All in all the project turned out to be more expensive than I had planned - but I was very pleased to be able to hand out a nice quality homemade gift.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Making homemade vanilla extract is so much easier than you think! We started out new extract project to save money and to make sure we were getting a pure and quality extract for our occasional gluten free baked goods. All you need to start is vanilla beans and vodka. I found good prices on ebay buying in a larger quantity. Here is the EBAY seller I used - shipping was VERY fast and they included a few free beans! The vodka was 80 proof obtained at the local liquor store - they say the cheap stuff is just fine.

 DAY # 1

 

You simply cut or split the whole beans exposing the vanilla seeds on the inside of the pod and place in glass bottle of vodka. The bottle needs to have a tight fitting lid and enough vodka in it to cover the beans. It needs to be stored in a cool dark place and every few days you give the bottle a shake, within 2-3 months you have pure homemade vanilla extract with no additives!

DAY # 10

Here's is another blog post with additional info and pictures: 

 http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-vanilla-extract/

I'll report back in a few months when our first batch is complete - I'm thinking about doing more and bottling it for holiday gifts!

-PP