The results of the vanilla extract experiment
(Got a white edding pen & wrote direct on the bottles instead of sticking paper labels!)
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Hello, hows things? Hope life is treating you sweet.
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Thought I’d let you know of how my homemade vanilla extract turned out after the 5 week+ of brewing. – As you know, I made 3 samples – with vodka, rum & brandy – & I can say that the best one was… drum-roll please… with Vodka!! Ta-da〜!
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The clear vodka now coloured rich auburn brown, has the most heady scent of vanilla. Bliss. It’s a “happy-moment”. You know that the vanilla has been fully extracted. It has a slightly syrupy density, & when you shake the bottle then pour, you’d get loads of specks of vanilla beans. Gorgeous.
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The other two, the rum & the brandy versions, well, forget ’em really… The distinct flavour of the alcohol drowned the delicate vanilla scent. Quite disappointing & pointless. Despite this, I think I’ll use the rum for making “rum-soaked raisin chocolate truffles” that I used to make for the market sometime ago. Just chop raisins up & soak them in rum overnight before mixing it into ganache with some of the rum liquid you used to soak with. Slightly boozy & definately heavenly.
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As for the brandy version, well…, if anyone has a good idea on how to use that up, please let me know!
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– Since the last time I posted on this blog, I’ve been busy with perfecting my triple lemon drizzle cake, like changing ingredients here & there. I’ve made it 6 times now, & finally “got it right”. It’s soooo amazingly tasty, I’m thinking of adding it to the stall cake-line-up come from this September. I’m now in a process of writing about it for this blog, which is taking ages, because I want to explain about why it uses sour cream, etc…
– I also made a “3-tier wedding cake with chocolate swirly sticks” for my best friend recently, which I will also post about in the near future if & when the wedding photographer gives me some nice pictures of it.
– SO, ’til the next time, see y’all! ^^
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Mmm, you’ve got my mouth watering, between the vanilla and the lemon cake and the wedding cake! I look forward to your upcoming posts, knowing how carefully written and explained they will be (but no pressure, I’m also happy just to look at pictures!)
Comment by Astrid - July 18, 2008 2:01 pm
I swear I read your whole entry but my mind went a bit blank and my tummy rumbles took over upon reading the words “rum-soaked raisin chocolate truffles”…….. 8D
YUMMMMMMMMMM
Comment by Jan - July 18, 2008 5:45 pm
Oooh, they look gorgeous (even if only one of them actually tastes gorgeous – thanks for saving the rest of us from having to experiment)!
Brandy ideas… these are all autumn/winter ideas, but you could use it in a dessert of roasted plums (I have a fab recipe I could send you if you like). Or brandied oranges… or even marmalade. Hope that helps! x
Comment by Rachel - July 18, 2008 6:02 pm
Hi Astrid!
cheers – I’m hoping to post about the lemon cake real soon – hopefully next week – hopefully as good as your writing. Hope to hear from you next time!
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How you doin’ Jan,
when I start working from this September, I’ll promise I’ll make the rum-raisin truffles for your visit! ^^
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And dear Rachel,
so you roast the plums/ oranges in brandy?? Wow! Never would have thought of that. If you could email me the recipe, that’ll be cool! xx
Comment by tamami - July 18, 2008 8:44 pm
hey Tamami,
hoping to be in london 1st week of August. spoke to zita today maybe we could meet up at H woods.
hope you are well . ps vanilla looks great.
Comment by nikki - July 22, 2008 7:55 pm
O.m.g! Hello there Nikki! It’s fantastic to hear from you! I’m gonna write an email to you straight away!
t xxx
Comment by tamami - July 22, 2008 8:33 pm
Hi Tamami,
Great post! May I use a little thumbnail of the image when I link to it?
Looks great.
Comment by ian - July 24, 2008 8:08 am
Hello Ian, sure please do use the image. many thanks for the great recipe!
Comment by Tamami - July 24, 2008 9:16 am
Tamami, thank you so much for reporting on your vanilla extract experiment. And your writing and doodles are just ADORABLE.
Ok so now, I have triple lemon drizzle cake in mind. And totally need the recipe. Pretty pretty please!
xx fanny
Comment by fanny - July 24, 2008 9:38 am
Hi Tamamai
Love your blog! Everything looks amazing!
Jules
Comment by julian - July 24, 2008 1:04 pm
Cheers Fanny!
I find YOUR website adorable! xx
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And hi Jules!
I’m so happy you checked this blog out! Hope to c u around in the summer hol. Give me a shout if you’re going to a nearby park, etc. We’re pretty much free all of the holiday…!
Comment by Tamami - July 24, 2008 10:35 pm
Wow, great work!!! Congratulations! Now, we all can save money from buying vanilla extract. Not only that, we are assured what’s going into the bottle instead of commercial version with preservatives , etc even if it’s extract.
I hope your family all doing well…:-) I missed reading your blog for sometime due to hectic work and managed to shed some pounds off – secret is… æµ·è‰!
I got the tip from my japanese gf’s doctor and some confirmations from some japanese when I was shopping at my local japanese shop. Only thing is you need to eat it ..a lot. My consumption is 5 -10 g per meal :-D
Maybe you can try too…
Lots of love
Comment by pixen - September 11, 2008 5:15 pm
Hello there Pixen!
nice tip about the seaweed diet! How are you eating it? Like the dried sheets that we use for sushi for example? – I lurve seaweed. I used to take the sheeted ones around with me to give to my child for a snack when outside. Mind, here in England, I did once get a bizarre comment from a teenager: “urgh, what is THAT? How can you eat it? That’s just wierd…, Urgh.”
When I was a child, my mother used to tell me that “you’d get beautiful black hair” if we eat seaweed. I guess that was her way of making me eat my miso-soup.
Family is doing well thanks! Thanks for checking out my blog. Hope to hear from you again soon, t x
Comment by tamami - September 12, 2008 12:10 am
Hi Tamami,
I’m refering to wakame (and hijiki) – the ones used in miso shiru not Nori. Hahhaha… If it’s me, I will offer a piece to him and said that’s how Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles got their power :-D
Comment by pixen - October 1, 2008 5:42 pm
Hello…I found your blog when searching for homemade vanilla extract and I’m so happy I did! I absolutely love your bottles and recipe tips! Could I have permission to use a couple of your photos and link to your blog?
Comment by Jessica - July 3, 2009 5:42 pm
Hello Jessica! Sure! And thank you for asking ^^
Comment by tamami - July 3, 2009 11:38 pm
Posted! Thanks again! You are so sweet. Thanks for sharing your recipes and ideas!
Comment by Jessica - July 9, 2009 3:54 am
Hi Jessica! Thanks for mentioning me on your website!!!!!
Comment by tamami - July 10, 2009 4:32 pm
I bought 190 proof grain alcohol before I found a recipe for vanilla extract. Can I dilute it down to 90 proof and use it, or should I go back and get vodka instead?
Comment by Alice Peterson - March 28, 2010 5:03 pm
Hello Alice! Sorry to say, I’m not sure… Perhaps direct your question to http://www.vanillareview.com/ ,
which is where I originally got my recipe from!
Good luck with your extract!!
Comment by tamami - March 29, 2010 12:29 am
[…] […]
Pingback by Packaging Homemade Vanilla « The Excellent Wife - October 5, 2011 8:00 pm
The excellent wife, thank you for the link! x
Comment by Tamami - October 5, 2011 8:03 pm
[…] CoCo&Me, vanilla extract ngâm từ rum và brandy không cho kết quả mong đợi vì mùi vị quá […]
Pingback by Vanilla extract « NÆ°á»›c Mắm Ớt - November 1, 2011 3:17 pm
Thanks for linking back! Shame I can’t read it! I hope your extract went well! x
Comment by Tamami - November 1, 2011 10:20 pm