Vanilla Extract is a baking essential, but it’s also expensive – a little 60ml bottle of Vanilla Extract can set you back as much as £7 which works at over £1 for 10ml! So if you were to buy a litre of Vanilla Extract, it would cost you over £100! It’s not cheap at all but if you’re a regular baker like at myself then you’re probably going to go through a lot of it!
The good news is, Vanilla Extract is something you can make at home – while the initial outlay is still not cheap, it works out as so much more affordable in the long run. All you will need is:
- Vanilla Pods
- Vodka
- An empty 1 litre bottle (a Kilner bottle is best)
This will set you back around £40 – 50, you can create a litre of homemade Vanilla Extract which will work out at over half the cost of buying the same amount from the shops. And the best part is, it’s super easy and takes virtually no effort.
Note: Alternatively to Vodka, you could also using dark or light rum or even potentially bourbon – so long as the volume of the spirit is around 37.5% to 40% ABV. But these will impart their flavour onto the vanilla extract, so for a pure vanilla flavour, vodka is best.
Vanilla Extract
Print RecipeIngredients
- 10 x Vanilla Pods (roughly 1 Vanilla Pod per 100ml of spirit)
- 1 Litre Vodka
- Empty 1 Litre Bottle with Stopper
Instructions
Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla pods down the middle
Place the pods into the empty bottle
Using a funnel, pour the vodka into the bottle with the vanilla pods
Close the stopper on the bottle, and give it a good shake
Let the vanilla pods infuse with the vodka for 1 to 2 weeks - shaking the bottle daily
