Just cleaning out the pantry and have found my Vanilla Beans are dry. Can they be revived and if so how!
uli,
Jan 1, 10:32pm
They usually are dry when you buy them. I stick mine into fine sugar when I buy them they will then slowly make vanilla sugar.
If they are so dry that they are brittle they will most likely have little taste left. In that case I would simmer them in a little milk and use that milk for a pudding, custard or for baking.
davidt4,
Jan 1, 11:07pm
I have in the past made my own vanilla extract with dried out vanilla beans.Just pack them into a smallish bottle, cover with brandy or vodka, leave for several weeks before you start to use it.Top up with spirit when it runs low.
thelaw014,
Jan 1, 11:09pm
Thanks heaps for those tips. Didn't want to throw $20 away.
thewomble1,
Jan 2, 12:26pm
Pour a cap full of vodka over the beans and seal in an airtight container or bag and store in a dark place for several days. There is a trader here that sells the beans and he sends a instruction sheet with the beans and he suggests vodka, Tried it out on some dry looking beans I got from supermarket and now nice plump looking.
bisloy,
Jan 3, 11:05pm
Ditto thewomble1.
k1w1shena,
Jan 4, 2:38pm
When Absolut first brought out their Vanilla Vodka I was preparing to move to Russia for a year and was struggling with the 'how to drink vodka like the locals' training. I LOVE vanilla, and fell in love with Absolute Vanilla, but couldn't afford to drink it on a regular basis. Cheaper vodka + vanilla beans, leave for a few weeks, Vwa!
If you're not a drinker, just pop those lovely beans into one of your bedroom drawers for delicious smelling undies, T-Shirts, or sweaters!
marcs,
Jan 4, 4:40pm
This will revive your vanilla, make you some vanilla extract and you can still use you vanilla. I would use vodka as it has not taste.
What to do when you have some dried Vanilla Pods in the pantry, and what to do withthe ones you have used! Well, herre's a tip; Gather them all together and put them in a dish long enough to fit lengthwise, and cover with water. Leave them to saok until they become all plump and juicy again. Then, when next you are making strawberry, apricot or any jam, use this 'vanilla water' as a replacement for just the ordinary water stated in the recipe. You will be surprised by the wonderfully delicate vanilla flavour to your jam. You can also use it to make Vanilla Beurre Blanc sauce to have with Fish or chicken. Just use 50/50 Vanilla water and white wine as the liquid in this recipe. And--even if you are not into jam making but just want to do a light fresh fruit salad, or lightly stewed fruit, the 'Vanilla water' is great for these recipes too. So, don't throw those old Vanilla POds away, just keep them in a ziplock bag till you have a good number and then put them in to soak.
willyow,
Feb 3, 6:27pm
Exactly right - vodka is ethyl alcohol which is odourless and flavourlessso it doesn't effect the flavour of the vanilla pods. Ethyl alcohol is what is used to make realPure Vanilla Extract- sowhen used to soften vanilla pods it is perfect and almost enhances the flavour.I oftentell customers to freeze afew - we've experimented with deep freezing vanilla podsfor the past 18 months and they are coming out of the freezer in really good condition. We weren't sure about it initially because putting them in the fridge tends to dry them out.Traditionally the best way to store them was in an airtight container in acupboard. Andfor storing vanilla extract - if it isn't in a brown bottle - keep it in a dark cu[board. Light tends to degrade vanilla extract quite quickly.
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