Homemade Vanilla Sugar (2 ingredients)

Vanilla sugar can enhance the flavor of vanilla in baked goods, but it can be expensive. Making homemade sugar is a simple, easy, and effortless process that takes five minutes but will save you lots of money. It uses only two ingredients and can be used in sweet and savory dishes as well as drinks and sprinkles to enhance its flavor.

Do you use vanilla sugar often? I used to avoid it until I started making my own. Now, I find reasons to use it because I always have enough on hand.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Vanilla - If you go to purchase vanilla beans you will usually find that there are several types of vanilla beans.
  • Those that come from Madagascar which is considered rich and robust in flavor and aroma.
  • Then there is a Tahitian vanilla bean which is said to have a subtle floral and fruity flavor and aroma.
  • The third most popular is an African vanilla bean mostly from Uganda which is said to be smoky and bold in flavor.
  • There is also a Mexican vanilla bean which is said to be smooth and spicy.
    I have never used any other than Madagascar so far. That's the one I get locally and in my budget when I shop online.
• Sugar - I use regular granulated sugar when I do this. You can also do it with brown sugar or Sparkling sugar. If you plan to give vanilla sugar to friends as a gift I highly recommend using caster sugar as it looks more pretty.

When should you use vanilla extract, bean paste, or sugar

I have shown you how to make your own homemade vanilla bean paste, vanilla sugar, and vanilla extract. so I think it's worth discussing this.

People often write comments on my blog. Can I use extract instead of bean paste? or You said extract in the recipe but you are using bean paste in the video.

The truth is there is more than one way to go with it. You can use them interchangeably and in combination too!

• Vanilla extract - I use this in almost everything by default. Mostly because it's what I have most in the house in good quantity. I must admit I love vanilla so I tend to be very generous with my homemade vanilla.
• Vanilla bean paste - this usually has a more concentrated flavor and as you can see the quantity you get from pulsing these in the food processor is really not much. A little goes a long way with this. So I use this in recipes that need a more concentrated flavor. For example, if I am making a vanilla cake where I want to really bring out the flavor of vanilla (as compared to a chocolate cake) I would use this bean paste. Similarly, if I'm making vanilla pastry cream or vanilla-based desserts like a vanilla bavarian cream as compared to a strawberry Bavarian cream. Does that make sense?
• Vanilla sugar - I often use vanilla sugar in desserts not as much in my cakes. For example pies, tarts, creme brulee, etc. These get a more defined flavor of vanilla in addition to the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. I am known to use vanilla sugar in savory dishes such as my quiches and sauces just to help balance the acidity in there. Of course I most definitely always make my hot chocolate and drinks that call for sugar with vanilla sugar.

Step by step instructions (pin)

• Split the vanilla beans in half lengthways. Scrape the center to remove the seeds
• Thoroughly mix these seeds in the sugar. You can use a food processor. I like to use a whisk and give it a good stir.
• Store the sugar in a mason jar and use in any recipe that calls for vanilla sugar

My cheat - Homemade vanilla sugar

• Split the vanilla beans down the center, do not scrape the seeds. Place the whole vanilla beans in a glass jar with the sugar. Give it a good stir.
• Leave the sugar for at least a week before you use it.
• In a week the sugar will have absorbed enough flavor from the beans. You can use this as vanilla sugar.
• Top as you go - Use the amount of sugar you need from the jar, then top with more sugar and give it a stir. The vanilla bean will continue to perfume the sugar and small amounts of the scrapping will fall out from the beans as you stir.

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