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Food Substitutions - Vanilla Extract
Rate it! Votes (2) | Comments (0) By David Joachim Photos: Mitch Mandell Posted July 29th, 2007 This article is reprinted with permission from The Food Substitutions Bible: More than 5,000 Substitutions for Ingredients, Equipment and Techniques, by David Joachim, (2005, Robert Rose)	The Food Substitutions Bible: More than 5,000 Substitutions for Ingredients, Equipment and Techniques

Pure vanilla extract is extracted by soaking vanilla beans in alcohol. Imitation vanilla extract has a vaguely similar flavor but is entirely artificial and often manufactured from the paper industry's wood-pulp by-products.

Also known as vanilla essence (British).

If You Don't Have It

Substitute 1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract with:

• 3-inch (7.5 cm) piece vanilla bean (split or beans scraped from pod; add early in the recipe to allow the most flavor extraction)
  
  
• 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons (5 to 7 mL) Homemade Vanilla Extract: Combine 3/4 cup (175 mL) vodka and 1 to 2 split vanilla beans in a large glass jar. Seal and store in a cool, dark place for at least 4 months or indefinitely. To use sooner, jump-start the mixture with 3 tablespoons (45 mL) pure vanilla extract and store for at least 2 months. Remove extract as necessary, replacing the vanilla beans when they give up their flavor and the vodka begins to run low.
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) double-strength vanilla extract
  
  
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) triple-strength vanilla extract

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