Vanilla extract and vanilla essence: how to use and what to replace

Extract and essence: is there a difference?

Where does vanilla extract come from? This is an alcohol infusion made from fermented vanilla beans. The complete technological process describing how the extract is obtained is quite complex:

1. The unripe fruits of the vine are collected and soaked in nut oil. Then they continue to ferment for a long time.
2. Once the pods begin to look like wrinkled brown sticks, they are doused with alcohol.
3. At the final stage, the mixture is allowed to brew for several weeks, after which it is filtered and poured into containers.

The natural extract contains only vanilla, water and alcohol. You can also see another liquid type of spice on sale - essence. Essentially it's the same thing. If you check the composition of what the essence is made from, you will not find any differences from vanilla extract, but the difference is still present.

First of all, it is concentration. The essence contains approximately 2-3 times more aromatic components than the extract. I'll talk about other differences when I explain how this spice is used in confectionery.

You can read more about other varieties of vanilla spices in a large review article about vanilla and vanillin.

Variation on the theme of vanilla extract

Natural vanilla extract can be obtained not from pure vodka, but from brandy or rum, tequila or cognac. Then the drink will acquire a more complex aroma. Before making it, you should clearly understand where and how it will be used.

The technology for preparing tinctures using other alcoholic beverages (not vodka) will differ as follows:

• The bottle should be shaken several times a day in the first week. Starting from the second week - daily;
• the aging time must be at least three months, which is explained by the fact that notes of vanilla must be mixed with the bouquet of the alcoholic drink;
• The degree of readiness of the drink is indicated by its taste and aroma. If the vanilla is not felt as clearly as you would like, the extract is closed and left to simmer for several more weeks.

Secrets of the Mistress

There is no need to replace vodka with pure alcohol. The traditional recipe allows you to get the most characteristic vanilla smell and increase the aroma of the finished product by 10% than when using a 97% alcohol concentrate.

How to make vanilla extract to make it perfect:

• The product must be kept in well-washed glass bottles, the lids of which are tightly closed. This is necessary to prevent the admixture of foreign odors;
• it is preferable to use dark glass containers to reduce the influence of sunlight;
• Usually one vanilla pod weighs 3 g. If it is large, then its weight will reach 4 g. Accordingly, for 250 g of vodka you will need not 8 fruits, but 6;
• While the tincture is simmering, it should be shaken regularly (every few days);
• A whole vanilla pod is added to the finished, strained product for aesthetic purposes.

What can replace vanilla extract is vanilla sugar. It is enough to take 10-15 g of spice. The only point is that you need to study the composition: if lignin is indicated on the packaging, this indicates the synthetic origin of the spice. How to replace the artificially obtained analogue - with simple sugar, in which a vanilla pod has been lying for two weeks: 1 fruit is enough for 1 kg of sand.

The finished vanilla extract should be enough for several small bottles. If you decorate them beautifully, then such original bottles will be an excellent gift for friends who are interested in cooking.

Role in the recipe

As with other spices, the first task that every confectioner pursues is to diversify the aroma and taste of desserts. And vanilla extract does this perfectly. Thanks to the presence of more than 100 aromatic components, the smell of the tincture is simply divine. In addition, it helps in desserts:

1. Increase sweetness. This means that with less sugar the dessert will still be just as sweet. And therefore healthier.
2. Combine different flavors. Thanks to vanilla, different spices are felt as a single and pleasant bouquet of smells and tastes.
3. Hide flaws. If you add too much spice or citrus, the extract will help reduce its harshness.
4. Improve taste. Vanilla works like monosodium glutamate, only completely natural and safe. She makes everything taste better.

Finding where to buy vanilla extract is easy. You can buy it in confectionery stores and on many thematic websites. At the same time, the cost will be much lower than that of vanilla pods, especially if you take into account the cost of preparing desserts.

Can vanilla extract be replaced with vanillin?

I understand that although liquid vanilla is very convenient to use, it is still quite expensive. And naturally, many people want to save money and replace vanilla extract. Especially when the usual vanillin can be found in any supermarket, paying ten times less.

But I do not recommend using vanillin. This is not just a whim. The chemical analogue of vanilla has several significant disadvantages:

1. Bitter. If you add too much powder to baked goods, you will ruin it irrevocably.
2. Rude. The aroma of vanillin is strong, pleasant, but very poor. It is not able to convey many notes of natural spice and combine other flavors in a dessert.
3. Simple. Vanillin will not make baked goods sweeter or improve their taste. She'll just smell nice.

But if for some reason you still want to use artificial flavoring, then simply add 1 g of powder instead of 5 ml of extract. To replace vanilla essence in a biscuit, you will need 1 g of vanillin per 2-3 ml of liquid. If you are interested in how to replace vanilla sugar, you can read about it in a separate article.

How to make essence at home

A homemade product guarantees naturalness and maximum benefits. To get high-quality vanilla essence you need:

• Pour alcohol (at least 40%) into a clean glass container, preferably dark in color, with a tight-fitting lid;
• Vanilla pods are placed in it at the rate of 1 pod for every 100 g of liquid;
• close the lid and place the dishes in a cool, dark place.

Vanilla essence will be ready in 2-3 months. Peak aging is 6 months. During the infusion process, the bottle is shaken periodically (every few days). Instead of alcohol, you can take another strong alcohol: cognac or brandy. It is believed that it is in combination with vodka that vanilla can be fully revealed and manifest all the advantages of its aroma.

To speed up the process, the pods can be cut. Then the fruit is cut lengthwise. The seeds are removed from it with a knife and placed in alcohol. The peel is finely chopped and also placed in a bottle. The product will be ready in 4-5 days. The liquid is filtered. The whole fruit is placed in the purified tincture (both for beauty and to continue the aging process).

Traditionally, vanilla essence is used in the manufacture of a variety of desserts and baked goods: biscuits and muffins, cupcakes and puddings, ice cream and cocktails. One drop of aromatic liquid makes any product much tastier. Vanilla essence is used to enrich meat and vegetables, coffee, tea, cocoa and alcohol-containing cocktails.

Vanilla essence has a long shelf life and versatility of use: just a couple of drops are enough to fill your home with enchanting aromas.

How to use vanilla extract

The aroma of the extract is very strong. For 200 ml of cream, 1 drop is enough. To calculate how much vanilla extract to add to the dough, you need to use the ratio of 5 ml per 1 kg. Then the smell will be very good in the cake.

The only drawback of the extract is that it does not tolerate heat treatment very well. At temperatures above 70°C, the alcohol evaporates and so does the aroma. It is generally better to use it for impregnating biscuits, creams, and glazes.

The essence is more resistant to heat treatment. It is better to add it to biscuits. But concentrated liquid has another drawback. With small volumes of ingredients, it is difficult to measure the right amount of spice. Even 1 ml of liquid vanilla may be too strong and ruin the dessert. For 1 kg of product you should add no more than 2-3 ml of essence.

There are no other restrictions on how to use the extract and essence. You can add them to almost any recipe. Just try to take your time and measure the dosage accurately.

Where is vanilla extract added?

Many people believe that the scope of use of this extract will be the same as that of vanilla itself, but in fact this is not the case. The fact is that this product does not tolerate high temperatures; its taste and smell suffer from them. Therefore, it is better not to add it to baked goods. But vanilla extract is an ideal option for puddings and desserts that do not require baking (for example, soufflés and Philadelphia cheesecake). It is also often added to creams.

The question arises as to what can replace vanilla extract in baking if it itself is destroyed during heat treatment. Experienced confectioners recommend using vanilla sugar in such cases. True, you need to understand that it is not always prepared using natural raw materials; sometimes it is artificial vanillin mixed with powdered sugar.

Vanilla extract should not be confused with vanilla essence. The latter is a food flavoring, most often on a synthetic basis, and various additives are used for its production. The essence can be added to baked goods, but it is better to use natural vanilla sugar.

Interestingly, vanilla came to Europe from Mexico. In the plant's homeland, the Aztecs used the pods ground into powder as a spice to improve the taste of cocoa (sugar was not yet known in those days). Today, small amounts of vanilla extract can also be added to cocoa and coffee drinks. It practically does not combine with other spices, with the exception of cinnamon and saffron, but even then in small quantities.

How to make your own vanilla extract

Unfortunately, vanilla, like any other expensive product, is often counterfeited. This also applies to extracts. Therefore, for additional savings and creating a truly high-quality natural product, it is worth mastering the method of its preparation. There is nothing complicated about how to make vanilla extract at home. You will need:

• 200 ml vodka;
• 20 g vanilla pods (5-7 pcs.)

Preparation:

1. Cut the pods lengthwise. Place in a container with a tight lid. If necessary, they can be divided into several parts.
2. Fill the pods with vodka.
3. We seal the container and hide it on a shelf from the sun.
4. We wait 3-4 weeks. Shake once every 3-4 days.

After this, the extract can already be used. But experts say that for the perfect aroma it is better to wait six months. The essence is prepared according to the same principle. But for the same amount of vodka you will need 15-20 pods.

Please note that you should not use alcohol. It will draw out aromatic components much worse. But you can easily replace vodka with rum, brandy or whiskey. High-quality cognac will also work.

When it comes to selecting vanilla beans, make sure they are soft and bend easily. If you notice a white coating on the sticks, that's just fine. This is the best indicator of quality. The best vanilla is from Madagascar. Fruits from Bourbon, Ceylon, Costa Rica and Panama are slightly worse. Pods from Tahiti are considered to be of poorer quality.

How to replace vanilla extract

What to do when you want to cook a dish that requires adding vanilla extract, but you don’t have it in the house. What can replace it?

The best option is a natural replacement. Vanilla pods come first here. Depending on the intensity of the aroma, you need to take about half of the pod for 1 teaspoon of extract.

In a similar proportion, you can replace it with natural vanilla powder.

In the case of a mixture of vanilla and sugar - in a 1:1 ratio.

Vanilla milk. This is another option. Add an equivalent amount of vanilla-flavored soy or almond milk. Keep in mind that their aroma may not be as strong as the extract.

Homemade vanilla flavored milk makes a great substitute.

To make this milk, open the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds with a knife. Pour the milk into a pan and add the pod and seeds. Simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. It can be used to replace the extract.

A vanilla-flavored liqueur can replace the extract if the alcohol content is not an issue for you. Replace a tablespoon of extract with two tablespoons of liqueur.

A synthetic replacement can be vanillin powder, vanilla sugar or essence.

If vanilla flavor isn't the key, almond extract is a good substitute. It has a stronger smell. Therefore, if you need a tablespoon of vanilla extract, then you need to take half as much almond extract.

A good substitute would be vanilla syrup, which is not difficult to make yourself. To do this, prepare sugar syrup. Add a vanilla pod and some seeds to it.

Place the saucepan over low heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Pour into a clean, dry bottle and store in a cool place.

All these substitutes can be tried at least once to choose the best one. You also need to keep in mind that just because any of the suggested options works for one recipe, it doesn’t mean it will work for another. The result may be different. Therefore, first of all, you need to focus on a specific recipe.

What else is worth knowing about vanilla extract?

Before purchasing an extract or essence, read the ingredients very carefully. Pupils of Pauline School have already encountered such a problem that despite the declared “natural vanilla” on the front side of the bottle, in practice it turns out that inside:

• water;
• alcohol;
• sugar syrup;
• caramel coloring;
• flavoring

The original extract must indicate the percentage of vanilla; there are no syrups or flavorings. Everything else is fake. Also keep an eye on the cost. Vanilla is one of the most expensive spices, so the extract cannot be cheap either.

Considering that you have to pay a lot for the spice, you don’t want it to go to waste. The original extract or essence can be safely used for 2-3 years. In some cases, the aroma remains even after 10 years of storage. So you will have time to prepare enough flavorful desserts.

Lately I've been lucky and managed to buy only high-quality extracts. But I heard that even the pods are already being counterfeited on a regular basis. Have you encountered counterfeits of vanilla before? Please tell us so that we can warn other confectioners.