The Beauty Behind the Vanilla Bean

Vanilla is one of nature’s most valuable and versatile flavor ingredients for both chefs and home bakers. But how much do you know about the beautiful and fragrant fruit? Luckily, we’re sharing four videos with everything you need to elevate your baking and cooking. You’ll learn how each variety of vanilla boasts its own unique flavor profile and learn easy ways to incorporate beans into your recipes.

Vanilla Bean 101

Before you use a vanilla bean, you should first understand the distinct aromas and robust tastes of each origin. These unique flavor compounds are the result of conditions within each growing region as well as the careful process requiring each plant to be hand-pollinated and each bean to be hand-picked and hand-cured. See our blog post on where vanilla beans come from for a more in-depth look at each variety. 

Here’s what you can expect with each bean:

• Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans, from the Vanilla planifolia Andrews orchid, are long and thin with a sweet, creamy and mellow flavor and velvety after-tones. This vanilla pairs well with a variety of recipes, making it an ideal all-purpose vanilla.

• Mexican Vanilla Beans, also from the Vanilla planifolia Andrews orchid, look similar to Madagascar Bourbon beans, but are typically shorter. This variety has a deep, spicy-sweet flavor, similar to clove or nutmeg, allowing it to pair well with cinnamon, chocolate and salsa.

• Tahitian Vanilla Beans originate from a different species of orchid called Vanilla tahitensis Moore. These beans are distinctively plump and provide a floral and fruity flavor with cherry-like undertones. We recommend using Tahitian Vanilla Beans in cold recipes, as they are sensitive to heat.

How to Select and Store Vanilla Beans

Now that you know the unique attributes of each variety of vanilla bean, you’re ready to shop! Fresh vanilla beans should be moist, plump and fragrant. When you can easily wrap the bean around your finger, as seen in this video, the bean is at its peak.

We recommend storing your supply in an air-tight container placed in a kitchen pantry or cabinet, away from heat. This method can preserve your vanilla beans for up to two years.

How to Use a Vanilla Bean

The most robust flavor is found inside the vanilla pod in the form of thousands of fragrant vanilla seeds. Watch this video for easy step-by-step instructions to remove these seeds.

Once you’ve opened your vanilla bean, try one of our favorite recipes featuring the visual flair of vanilla bean seeds:

• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Vanilla Honey Butter Crescent Rolls
• Vanilla Bean Cream Soda Floats
• Vanilla Bean Gelato
• Frozen S’mores

How to Repurpose Used Vanilla Beans

Believe it or not, a vanilla bean still holds plenty of delicious flavor, even after the seeds have been scraped out. In this video, we share 4 unique ways to reuse a vanilla pod.

• Flavor Your Favorite Spirit: Drop a used bean into the bottle and let it sit for about a week in a dark location at room temperature. The result is a smooth, vanilla-kissed drink ideal for your next cocktail party.
• Add to Salt: Bury the used pod in a jar of salt and let it sit for at least two weeks, shaking every so often. Sprinkle your vanilla salt on top of watermelon to enhance the sweetness or use in recipes that call for salt, like chocolate chip cookies and caramels.
• Add to Sugar: Follow the process outlined above for salt and add some excitement to your morning brew!
• Grind the Pods: Grind dried vanilla pods into a fine powder using a coffee grinder or food processor. Sprinkle on your gelato or incorporate into any dish where the appearance of vanilla seeds is desired, like whipped cream or crème brûlée.

Now that you have all the inside tips on how to select, store, use and reuse vanilla beans, the possibilities are endless! Experiment and share your vanilla bean creations with us on Instagram using #NielsenMasseyInspires.

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