Real Vanilla Bean Syrup
Using actual vanilla beans creates a syrup with depth and complexity that extract simply cannot match. Those beautiful flecks are worth the splurge.
Using actual vanilla beans creates a syrup with depth and complexity that extract simply cannot match. Those beautiful flecks are worth the splurge.
- 1 wholevanilla bean(Madagascar Bourbon or Tahitian both work well)
- 1 cupwater
- 1 cupwhite sugar
- 1Let steep for at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator for stronger flavor.
- 2Strain out pod pieces and bottle.
- 3Refrigerate for up to one month.
Store in a sealed glass bottle in the refrigerator for up to one month. The vanilla specks may settle — this is normal; shake before use. Keep refrigerated.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds before adding both seeds and pod to the syrup — the seeds carry the most intense flavor and the characteristic black specks that signal real vanilla. Gently simmering (not boiling) preserves the delicate volatile aromatics of vanilla; boiling drives off the top notes and leaves only the heavier, cooked vanilla character. The spent pod can be dried and buried in a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar, extracting additional value from an expensive ingredient. Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is the most widely available and produces the most versatile syrup; Tahitian vanilla produces a more delicate, floral syrup better suited to sparkling wine cocktails.
Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) originated in Mexico, where the Totonac people of the Gulf Coast were the first to cultivate and harvest the vine orchid's seed pods, using vanilla as a flavoring in the cacao-based drink xocolatl. The Aztecs later incorporated vanilla into their ceremonial drinking preparations, and Spanish conquistadors brought it back to Europe in the early 16th century, where it spread slowly due to the difficulty of hand-pollinating the flowers outside their native range. Today, Madagascar — which produces approximately 80% of the world's vanilla supply — and Tahiti are the two primary origins, producing distinctly different profiles: Madagascar Bourbon vanilla has a classic creamy, caramel-sweet character, while Tahitian vanilla is more floral and cherry-like with lower vanillin content. Real vanilla bean syrup, made by scraping and simmering the bean pod, produces a syrup of far greater depth and complexity than any extract-based product.
A vanilla-cardamom syrup, made by adding four cracked green cardamom pods alongside the vanilla, produces a floral, aromatic syrup suited to gin cocktails and sparkling wine. A Mexican vanilla syrup using Mexican vanilla beans (which have a lighter, more rum-and-anise character than Madagascar) creates a distinctly different flavor profile excellent in tequila cocktails. For a burnt vanilla syrup with more caramel depth, split the bean and char one side briefly over an open flame before using — the light char adds a complex toasted character.
No common top-eight allergens. Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Pure vanilla bean preparations are free of common allergens. Note that some commercial vanilla extracts contain alcohol — this homemade syrup uses only the bean.