Vanilla Extract Made at Home
This homemade vanilla extract is oh-so-good and also incredibly easy to make. For your own use, skip the need for little containers and just steep the vanilla beans right into the entire whisky bottle. I was lucky enough to sample a variety of bourbon whiskeys before choosing Giant Bourbon 95 Proof Small Batch locally crafted in Houston by Gulf Coast Distillers. As bourbon is derived from corn mash while rye whiskey tends to taste drier with more spices, this local bourbon imparts a sweetly warm and full-bodied taste. I thought, how perfect for cooking and baking. When it's ready, the uses are endless, from adding a teaspoon to heavy cream before whisking it into freshly whipped cream to infusing magic into chocolate chip cookie dough batter. Let the goodness begin!
Ingredients
1 750mL bottle Giant Bourbon Whisky
4 to 5 vanilla beans
Directions
Slice the vanilla beans in half, length-wise. Using the tip of a knife, scrape out the vanilla bean flecks directly into the bottle. Cut the bean in half and place into the bottle so that the amount of bourbon will cover the entire bean. Secure the top of the bottle and place in a cool, dark location for at least two months. (The longer the vanilla extract steeps, the more intense the flavor of vanilla.)
