How to use a vanilla pod? Tips and tricks

You've decided to use vanilla in its original form: the pod. But do you know how to use a vanilla pod? How to use it in your home baking recipes? And once you've used up the contents of the pod? Don't throw your vanilla away! There are many ways to use vanilla beans, to get the most out of them. Indeed, if you've chosen a quality vanilla like Norohy, you need to use it to its full potential! In this article you'll find tips and recipes for using vanilla.

Scraping vanilla pods is not complicated; here are the different steps:

1. Take the pod and place it on a cutting board.
2. Split the vanilla pod lengthwise with a sharp knife.
3. Scrape the inside of the pod. Scrape with the knife blade from one end to the other. The vanilla seeds accumulate on the blade.
4. Add the seeds to your preparation. You can also add the pod if you wish.

Two additional tips:

• Don't choose your best cutting board, as vanilla tends to stain. Or don't wait too long before washing your board once you've used it.
• Beware: if you scrape too hard, you run the risk of picking up pulp as well as vanilla beans. Although the pulp also has an aromatic interest, you risk having fibrous brown particles in your preparation. The result in your pastry creations might be different than what you had in mind.

Recipes: What to do with fresh vanilla pods?

Norohy offers organic vanilla pods from Madagascar. Madagascar vanilla has intense floral and woody aromas. It's the vanilla whose notes we're often most familiar with.

Here are some delicious vanilla recipes to make at home:

• Vanilla crème brûlée recipe
• Vanilla cannelés recipe
• Sofia dessert recipe, vanilla rose raspberry
• Chocolate and vanilla dessert recipe
• Vanilla-filled cookies recipe
• Vanilla flan recipe

How many times can a pod be used?

Vanilla is an exceptional ingredient for pastry, with the advantage that it can be used at least three times. After these three uses, your purchase is well amortized, and you avoid waste!

1. First use: Scrape out the pod and use its contents. Your pod has been emptied - we call it exhausted.
2. Second use: Infuse the exhausted pod.
3. Third use: Rinse and dry the pod after infusion. Then make one of the following preparations.

Homemade vanilla sugar

What is the first way to recycle an exhausted vanilla pod? Make vanilla sugar! There are two options here. The simplest is to place the whole bean in a jar with sugar. Make sure it's completely dry beforehand. After a while, your sugar will have a delicious vanilla aroma. Another version: blend your exhausted pods with sugar. The result is a fragrant, beautifully colored sugar for your desserts.

And if you're feeling creative, why not try the same thing but with salt? Test vanilla salt in cooking! We bet your friends and family will be amazed.

Homemade vanilla powder

You can also make your own vanilla powder. Dry the exhausted pods in the oven at 90°C and then blend them. It's as simple as that! You can use this powdered vanilla bean in savory recipes or desserts.

Vanilla infusion for your drinks

Use your exhausted vanilla pods to flavor your drinks! Here are a few ideas:

• Hot infusion in milk for hot chocolate or café au lait.
• Hot infusion in tea and herbal tea.
• Cold infusion in milk for smoothies and milkshakes.
• Cold infusion in syrup for cocktails.
• Cold infusion in rum with fruits to make homemade spiced rum.

Flavored oil 

For your culinary creations, consider vanilla-flavored oil! Infuse your pods in the oil of your choice, wait a bit, then season your dishes and desserts.

Whole, opened, or already used vanilla pods should be stored in a metal box or airtight jar, away from light. You can store your pods at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

In addition to beans and extract, Norohy offers vanilla in another form:

Vanilla bean paste (Vanifusion)

We hope you have found this article useful. Find Norohy vanilla products and Valrhona chocolate products on Valrhona Collection. Order online and let your creativity run wild!