Originally Posted by
bgheuchert
OK! Here it is, the SECRETS OF HOMEMADE VANILLA and VANILLA SUGAR!!!
1)Go to the liquor store
2)Purchase a 66 of vodka, rum, or brandy
3)Go to Costco and buy some vanilla bean (they are the freshest and cheapest there, excellent quality)
4)Go home and pour yourself a double (seriously you will need the room in the bottle)
5)Stuff the bottle with 10ish beans that you have cut in half
6)Now put the lid on and steep for min 6 weeks, although the longer you let it sit the richer it gets, and it never goes bad. Now TRY not to "SAMPLE" it too often, as it will be the best vanilla extract you have ever smelled and tasted...and you do want SOME for christmas presents, right??!!
Now, after you have drank your double, waddle over to the closet and get a quart sized jar, put 2ish vanilla beans in it that you have cut in half and fill it with sugar. Lid. DONE. You will be able to start smelling it after about 2 days, but honestly same as the extract the longer it sits the better.
SO EASY YOU GUYS!
p.s. i had a person ask me once if you could just steep the beans in water, NO, they will only steep properly in alcohol, sorry but ALL vanilla extract is made from alcohol, although I am not complaining ;) Try making a double out of the extract after it has steeped for like 4 months, holy heck AMAZING! I've had stuff that has steeped for a year, PURE HEAVEN!