Pantry No. 1
Vanilla sugar
Cane sugar rested with split vanilla pods until it smells like a bakery at six in the morning. The first batches use vanilla we buy from growers we know. From the first harvest on, the pods are ours.
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What is vanilla sugar?
Vanilla sugar is sugar that has been flavoured with real vanilla, either by resting it with whole vanilla pods or by mixing in the seeds scraped from them. It is a staple of European baking and is sold in small sachets across Germany, Austria and much of Central and Eastern Europe. Cheaper “vanillin sugar” is flavoured with vanillin made in a lab instead of vanilla beans.
How to make vanilla sugar at home
You need
- 400 g (2 cups) granulated or cane sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
Nutrition (estimate): 16 calories and 4 g sugar per 1 teaspoon (4 g). The recipe makes about 100 servings.
Method
Split and scrape
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a small knife and scrape out the seeds.
Rub in the seeds
Rub the seeds into the sugar with your fingertips until they are spread evenly.
Bury the pod
Put the sugar in a clean jar that closes tightly and bury the empty pod in it.
Shake and wait
Close the jar, shake it, and leave it somewhere cool and dark for one to two weeks, shaking it every few days.
Use and top up
Use it spoon for spoon in place of plain sugar. Top the jar up with fresh sugar as you go; the pod keeps giving flavour for months.
How to use vanilla sugar
- In place of some of the sugar in cakes, biscuits and custards
- Sprinkled over crêpes, fresh fruit or rice pudding
- Stirred into coffee, tea or whipped cream
- On the rim of a glass, or over French toast
Questions
Is vanilla sugar the same as vanilla extract?
No. Vanilla extract is vanilla dissolved in alcohol and water. Vanilla sugar carries the vanilla in sugar, so it adds sweetness and aroma without any liquid or alcohol, which makes it useful for sprinkling and for recipes where extra liquid would be a problem.
What can I use instead of vanilla sugar?
For one small sachet (about 8 g), use roughly one teaspoon of vanilla extract and a little extra sugar, or the seeds of a quarter of a vanilla bean. Adjust the sweetness to taste.
How long does vanilla sugar keep?
Sugar does not go off, so vanilla sugar keeps for as long as it stays dry. The aroma slowly fades once the jar is open, so keep it tightly closed and use it within a few months for the best flavour.
Can I use a vanilla pod that has already been scraped?
Yes. A scraped pod still has plenty of aroma. Let it dry for a day, then bury it in sugar. It is one of the best ways to use every part of the bean.
Our vanilla sugar
Ours is cane sugar rested with split vanilla pods, nothing else. It is the first thing we will sell, because it is the simplest honest way to share vanilla while our farm is still being built. Until our own harvest is cured, we use beans from growers we know and say so on the label. After that, the pods come from our family farm in Bangkok.
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