Vanillazucker

Some recipes will request vanillezucker (vanilla sugar) because a lot of European recipes will not have vanilla paste or vanilla extract. Instead, they use vanilla essence or vanilla sugar. I will replace most of my vanilla essence recipes with vanilla sugar because, as you can imagine, I don't have vanilla essence and I can make my own vanillezucker.

Makes about: 2 cups of vanillezucker

Takes about: 5 minutes

Difficulty: If you can't make this, then I cant help you...

Ingredients:

1 vanilla bean

2 cups sugar

Instructions:

Option 1:

- Step 1 - Cut the Vanilla Bean

Cut the 1 vanilla bean length wise up the middle of the stock. Do not cut the bean in half, just puncture one side from one end to the other end.

Then cut the bean in half and set aside for a few moments.

- Step 2 - Sugar to Food Processor

Place 2 cups of sugar in the food processor.

- Step 3 - Add Vanilla Bean Seeds

Scrape the vanilla bean seeds out of the middle of the bean and into the food processor with the sugar.

Do not throw away the bean husk, this will be used later.

- Step 4 - Blend

Blend for about 10-15 seconds, just until mixed.

- Step 5 - Pour into a Airtight Container

Place the sugar into an airtight container.

I used an old jam jar that had been washed really well.

- Step 6 - Add Vanilla Bean Husk

Place the been husks into the sugar, like the picture above.

- Step 7 - Keep Contained When Not in Use

Use when needed!

What is great about the picture below is you can see the vanilla bean throughout the sugar.

Option 2:

Place the 2 cups of sugar into an airtight container and cut the bean like in step 1 and scrape the bean into the sugar like step 3, but don't use the food processor. You will just shake the sugar and vanilla bean together.

The reason this is not option 1 is because when using the food processor it grinds the sugar and vanilla together encorbirating those flavors even more.

But, if you don't have a food processor, this is a good alternitave.