Vanilla Bean Recipes

Best Ever Buttermilk Pie

1 ½ . Sugar

½ C Unsalted Butter (melted & cooled)

3 heaping T flour

3 eggs, beaten

1 C. Buttermilk

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 (9in) pie Crust

Preheat oven to 350* Combine all ingredients into a bowl. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake at 40 –50 minutes until pie is set. Serve warm or cold.

Vanilla Bean Lemonade

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 cups of water, plus more as needed

1 vanilla bean

2 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice ( it will take about 24 lemons for 2 1/2 cups or just use Real lemon juice in the bottle)

Lemons wheels or wedges for garnish

In a large sauce pan, combine sugar, honey and 2 cups of water and place over a medium/high heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, then, using the back of a knife, scrape the vanilla beans from the pod and add to the sauce pan. Add the pod too. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it low boil for 4-5 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool. Put the lemon juice mixture into a gallon jug or pitcher. Pour the sugar syrup through a strainer into the pitcher and discard the pod. Add water to equal one gallon and stir well. Serve over ice. Yummy!

Vanilla Sugar

1 Vanilla Bean

2 Cups of Sugar

Split Vanilla bean and add to the sugar. Cover and Shake. The longer it sets the more it will have the vanilla flavor.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

1/2 of a Vanilla Bean

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of whipping cream

Vanilla sugar: Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; combine with 1/2 cup sugar.  Rub with fingertips to distribute evenly.In refrigerator, chill small mixing bowl and beater for electric mixer.  When chilled, beat cream with 3 tablespoons vanilla sugar to soft peak stage.  Use to top desserts and beverages.

Chocolate Liqueur

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 cups vodka
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 Vanilla Bean
chopped bittersweet chocolate
Combine sugar and water in saucepan; heat over medium heat to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer until sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.  Measure out 1 cup.  Refrigerate leftover for another use.  Combine vodka, 1 cup sugar syrup, cocoa, and split vanilla bean in a 2 quart glass container.  Cap tightly.  Let steep in cool dark place 2 weeks, shaking every 2 days.  Strain through double thickness of cheesecloth into a clean container.  Set funnel with coffee filter inserted over another clean container. Slowly pour liquid through. (filter paper may need to be changed twice) When liquid is filtered to desired clarity, remove sample to taste test for sweetness.  Adjust taste with additional sugar syrup.  Then cover tightly and let age 4 weeks in cool dark place.