Vanilla Sugar Recipe
Last summer my daughter married a German and moved to Germany to start her new life. Every time I mail a package or come to visit (just once for her reception) she begs me to send her vanilla extract. I don’t know what she is doing with all the vanilla I have sent her, but apparently she can’t get it in Germany. I was feeling sorry for her until my German girlfriend told me that they don’t have vanilla extract in Germany, they have something much better, vanilla sugar. I brought some home with me to try and now I am hooked. Since the mailing packages only seems to work one way, and I am running out of vanilla sugar, I decided to make my own.
You need:
*Jar with a lid
*Granulated Sugar
*1 or 2 vanilla beans
You can get vanilla beans at most grocery stores. I purchased mine at a store that has a large weigh and measure it yourself spice area. When I got them home, my husband thought I had lost my mind. “Did you realize that each of these beans costs $2.49?” “Yep”, I think to myself, “and I think it’s a steal.”
Measure 2 cups of sugar into your jar. Slice your vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape some of the inside of the bean into your jar with the sugar.
Open the bean a little and then cut the bean into about 3 pieces. Put it into the jar and shake it well. You will see little flecks of vanilla spread throughout your sugar.
Add a cute label.
Store on a dark shelf. Shake it daily for about 2 weeks. It will be ready to sprinkle on any of your favorite foods or to use in recipes. I love it on my oatmeal every morning. You can add more sugar to your jar and keep replenishing your vanilla sugar. The beans will last a long time. It’s so much cheaper than shipping it from Germany.
Oh wow, that sounds so good! I will have to try. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, wonder if you could do it with lavender?
ReplyDeleteBee happy x
Have a delicious day!
Hee - I married a German and moved to Germany myself and I also always ask for vanilla extra from my friends and family in the US!
ReplyDeleteI would say the vanilla sugar is different, not better. It's better for some things, but definitely not for a lot of American recipes - so funny how that 1-2tsps makes such a huge different in the taste (esp cookies).
I LOVE vanilla sugar sprinkled over freshly cut strawberries...oh my heavens, that is just the.best.smell EVER! of course it tastes fantastic as well ;-) The syrup left at the bottom of those bowls is just to die for!
I'm living in Russia now and we don't have Vanilla extract either............can't get used to the vanilla sugar so I'm always bringing Vanilla extract from home.
ReplyDeleteYou can just leave the pods as they are in the jar - that is what I do. 2 pods standing upright in the jar - and then keep topping up the jar with sugar. I use it for baking.....
ReplyDeletethat's great! I bought lots of sachets of vanilla sugar when I went to Germany. It's funny though, I could also buy vanilla extract... and it's the same brand Dr Oetker...it's good to know the recipe for making your own vanilla sugar, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy mom used to make vanilla sugar, but she kept it in a little glass jar shaped like a bell, so we called it "bell sugar". :-)
ReplyDeleteAs an expat Canadian living in Denmark, I will just say that vanilla extract is probably available in Germany (it is in Denmark), but you just have to head to one of the more "expensive" supermarkets. Dr. Oetker is the brand and it comes in little brown bottles. You can apparently make it yourself with vodka and vanilla beans, infusing the alchohol with the vanilla, not unlike what you've done with the sugar.
ReplyDeleteVanilla Sugar is awesome. I live in Germany too (also married a german like your daughter) and I use it for everything. Especially with cream. You can only buy single cream here in Germany so when I want whipped or thickened cream I add a packet or two of Vanilla Sugar and whip it up. It has such a delicious flavour. :)
ReplyDeleteHumble Homemaking
Do you use it instead of vanilla extract in baking?
ReplyDeleteI stock up with vanilla sugar every time I visit my native Finland but thanks to your recipe I can now make my own :D Have you tried making your own whipped cream with vanilla sugar? It's heavenly.
ReplyDeleteAmazon.com has vanilla beans for $9.29 for 16. You can find them here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ET4SM8/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ASBG6UVTMWDAY . It sure beats $2.49 a jar.
ReplyDeletemy mother in law was German and had this all the time it is great
ReplyDeleteI posted about making home-made vanilla on my blog but next time I make a batch I am saving my vanilla beans, drying them out and trying this! Sounds yummy~
ReplyDeleteAlwaysSewLove
That does sound good. But I am a sugar addict!
ReplyDeleteDid you know that you can use those beans to make your own vanilla extract? Google it. You will be happily surprised how easy it is!
You can flavor sugar with other things as well. For instance, when my lavender is putting out bud, before the buds open, I cut some and add them to the sugar.
ReplyDeleteThe sugar is a dessicant, which is why the lavender doesn't rot or mildew. Plus the sugar takes on a lovely lavender flavor, which I really like in baked goods and tea.
wow, this sounds delicious! i can't wait to try it myself.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is German too - we moved to Austria right after getting married for my graduate school studies but have been back in the USA since 2008. Where is your daughter living?
ReplyDelete... I went through vanilla extract withdrawl as well, brown sugar too! You cant make chocolate chip cookies without those two wonderful ingredients!
I agree tho, vanillin zucker ist sehr lecker... aka very tasty :)
Sounds fantastic!! Definitely trying this with my sugar cookie recipe. yumm!
ReplyDeleteDo tell you husband how great of a deal you have found. Each bean in my part of the world (Canada) is $5.00 each. After I use the beans, I toss the skins into sugar and it works just as well. Also you can make your extract with 3-5 beans and vodka in a large mason jar.
ReplyDeleteI made some for Christmas gifts. It was a HUGE hit!
ReplyDeletehttp://angelnavywife.blogspot.com/2010/09/homemade-christmas-gifts.html
Great idea! Any chance it will work with Splenda? I know a lot of people who are diabetic. I suppose it couldn't hurt much to try it could it?
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, I live in Switzerland (you can get vanilla sugar anywhere in europe) and I've never thought of using the stuff for anything other than baking. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteyum!
ReplyDeleteYou can also make vanilla extract... vanilla beans and vodka, I do believe! There are lots of recipes/tutorials for it online!
I buy my Vanilla Beans in Bulk from ebay. 2.50 a bean is WAY to expensive when you can get a pound for 10 dollars or so =) THen you can go crazy with the beans and not feel so bad ^_~
ReplyDeleteI just saw a post on $5 dinners with some amazing vanilla bean offers on Amazon. I'm buying some this afternoon and can't wait to make some vanilla sugar!!
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to the post and the two awesome deals on beans.
"http://www.5dollardinners.com/2011/02/amazon-deal-vanilla-beans-4159.html"
You can also buy vanilla sugar at IKEA and at World Market. That is where I get mine unless my mom sends me some for Christmas.
ReplyDeletewe make our own vanilla extract by using vodka and vanilla beans, sugar and water. it's amazing and so easy...but it does take weeks to make!
ReplyDeleteI really have to try that. It sounds so wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI googled a little, and the daughter can order thestuff online, it seems:
ReplyDeletehttp: //www.vidalatina. eu/shop/product_info.php?info=p122_vanille-essenz.html
Hope that helps!
Thank you for the inspiration about vanilla sugar.
ReplyDelete