Vanilla 101: Forms, Uses & How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

Though many think of vanilla as a primary flavor (as in vanilla ice cream), pastry chefs consider it a flavor enhancer. It complements and mellows, balancing sharper notes and contributing a sweet and floral flavor, which is why it appears as an ingredient in most baked goods.

Students in ICE’s Pastry & Baking Arts program study essential ingredients like sugar, flour and vanilla, learning how different varieties behave and interact. This lays the foundation for the more complex creations and techniques taught in ICE’s award-winning curriculum. (ICE was recognized as #1 culinary school in America by USA Today*.)

Vanilla comes in many forms — whole beans, pastes, extracts and powders — and, as such an expensive ingredient, knowing when to use each type can be a challenge. 

Here’s what you need to know about this spice from the Pastry & Baking Arts Chef-Instructors at ICE.

What is vanilla and where is it grown?

Vanilla beans are the string-bean-shaped fruit of the vanilla orchid that grows in tropical regions with high humidity, temperatures and sunlight. It takes about one year for the fruit to grow, and after the bean is harvested, it is cured, dried and fermented — a process that changes the color from green to dark brown.

Because these orchids grow in regions where monsoons and tropical storms often impact supply, vanilla can be quite expensive. Plus, it’s a labor-intensive crop.

According to ICE Chef-Instructor Trung Vu, Madagascan vanilla beans are the most widely available and have the classic sweet vanilla flavor most people recognize, while Tahitian beans are more floral and aromatic.

What are the different types of vanilla?

Vanilla can be purchased in four main forms: whole beans, extract, paste and powder, and each has its pros and cons.

Whole Vanilla Beans

If you’ve never used a whole vanilla bean, here’s what to look for and how to use them.  

• Look for beans that are oily, plump and flexible, and avoid those that are dry and brittle. If the bean feels firm, soak it in warm or room-temperature liquid to loosen up.
• To use, split the pod in half lengthwise and scrape down the length of the bean with the back of a paring knife to extract the seeds. 
• Add the seeds to any recipe, but don’t discard the pod! Steep it in liquid to add flavor (it's great in an ice cream base) or use it to create other vanilla products at home — more on that below.

Professional pastry chef and former ICE instructor, Kierin Baldwin, uses this technique to make salted caramel custard. (Get the recipe here.)

Vanilla Extract 

Vanilla extract is made by macerating beans in a mixture of alcohol and water to extract the beans’ flavor and color. It is more widely available and more affordable than whole beans.

When purchasing, ICE Senior Chef-Instructor Stephen Chavez advises against imitation extract and opting for pure vanilla instead. “The pure flavor is much more floral and deep than any inexpensive extract,” he says.

Vanilla Paste

Vanilla paste is made from ground vanilla beans and may include sugar or thickeners. It offers the same speckled appearance as whole beans, but with the convenience of extract.

ICE Director of Pastry Research & Development Jürgen David prefers this type of vanilla for its convenience and deep flavor. When substituting vanilla paste for the bean, he suggests one tablespoon of paste per bean called for in the recipe.

Vanilla Powder

Pure vanilla powder is made from dried, ground vanilla beans.

Because it’s made purely from the beans, vanilla powder is more intense than vanilla extract, so start with about half the volume of powder if substituting. Pastry chefs favor this form when they want a dry application of flavor, like sprinkling it onto a doughnut.

Be wary when purchasing, as some powders are actually vanilla sugar — its white color is the giveaway, as pure powder has a darker shade.

When should you use each type?

ICE Chef-Instructor Sandra Palmer advises students use vanilla beans, powder and paste only when a customer will see the speckles — such as in vanilla bean marshmallows or ice cream. “Seeing the flecks of vanilla seeds enables consumers to anticipate the flavor and understand the effort and expense involved in making it,” she says.

On the other hand, if you’re making chocolate cake, Chef Sandra recommends vanilla extract to maximize value.

How to Get the Most Out of Vanilla Beans

Professional chefs extract as much flavor from an ingredient as possible. Once you’ve scraped the seeds from a vanilla bean, here are two ways to get more bang for your buck with the empty pods.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Making vanilla extract at home is simple and requires just three ingredients: empty vanilla pods, alcohol (rum, vodka or bourbon) and water.

To prepare:

1. Place three to four used beans in an air-tight jar.
2. Add water and alcohol using a ratio of 2:1.
3. Let steep for a few weeks before using.

Alternatively, use leftover beans to amplify the flavor of an existing bottle of vanilla extract, suggests Chef Stephen, who notes that “adding used beans and alcohol to the extract will result in a much better-flavored product.”

Vanilla Sugar

Another option, if you only used one or two beans, is to make vanilla sugar. The sugar will absorb the scent and flavor of the spice; substitute it for granulated sugar in any recipe for great vanilla flavor.

1. Rinse leftover pods and allow to dry for a few days.
2. Once no longer pliable, grind in a food processor with granulated sugar.
3. Sift through a fine sieve to remove large chunks of bean; process these again with more sugar to ensure full use of the pod.

ICE’s Pastry & Baking Arts is offered at the New York and Los Angeles campuses, as well as online. Request more information about the program here.

*USA Today