"Steve Freides" > wrote in message
...
> My sister describes the following procedure for making her own vanilla
> extract; I'm curious as to what folks here think and if anyone else has
> tried this or similar.
>
> Ingredients - 750ml bottle of inexpensive brandy, 2 vanilla beans.
>
> Procedure - split but do not scrape both vanilla beans, place them whole
> into the bottle of brandy and just leave them there, waiting at least one
> full day before using.
>
> She says she doesn't remove the vanilla beans until all the liquor is gone
> which is usually a matter of at least a few months, and then she puts them
> in the freezer for future use. That future includes homemade ice cream
> wherein she uses a scissors to cut the vanilla beans into small pieces,
> places them in a mini food processor or spice grinder, and uses that to
> flavor her ice cream - that's pod, seeds, and all. She also uses the
> ground beans in baking.
>
> She observes that, ounce for ounce, her extract is more vanilla-y than
> store bought but that she doesn't change recipes to allow for this since
> she and her family like the flavor.
>
> My own thought is that brandy is too sweet and I'm thinking of trying a
> straight bourbon or other whiskey instead of brandy, especially since my
> main use will be adding my homemade extract to simple syrup to make
> flavored syrups.
>
> Thanks, folks.
>
> -S-

I'm using bourbon at the moment. Has been in the closet for about four
months now, I shake it occasionally and it has a wonderful smell and taste
right now, but going to leave it awhile longer.

Cheri