Originally Posted by mscupid804
This is a great pkg, I love the fabric! Homemade vanilla? How did you do that?! Share that recipe!
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It's super easy to make. Look for "make vanilla extract" or "homemade vanilla extract" and you'll get lots of links. The one I used came from a blog, but I couldn't tell you which one!
Read through a few and choose which you like best. They vary from 3 beans/cup to 10 beans/cup. For my batch, I used 6 beans per cup of vodka. Vanilla extract you buy is 2 fold, so I thought that using too few beans would leave me with a weaker product.
It takes a while - not the time you'll be busy, but the time to allow it to steep. I started mine in early October for Christmas giving. As I as going to use this as my "standard" gift. Family and close friends got a larger bottle, maybe in a basket with some other things. People I want to give a little something without breaking the bank got a smaller bottle.
There are lots of sources online for vanilla beans. I purchased mine from Beanilla, and the bottles from Specialty Bottle. Whatever you do, don't buy them at the grocery store - one bean costs a ridiculous amount! If I'd had small bottles on had to recycle, I'd have done that. You could also use jelly jars, but I wanted a pourable product.
Put the beans and vodka in a large, sterilized glass container. Shake 2x per day for the first couple of weeks, less often after than. In about 2 months, you'll have deliciousness awaiting!