Vanilla Extract Recipe and Gift Basket idea

Now is the time to start this recipe if you intend to give as a holiday gift. I have wanted to make this for holiday gifts in the past but the post office wants to charge a Haz-Mat fee due to the flammability of the product (yep, there's liquor in it!). I think that I'll be checking into Fed-Ex and UPS this year.

Vanilla Extract
16 oz. Vodka (not the cheap stuff)
6 Vanilla Beans

A good rule of thumb is 1 vanilla bean for every 3/4 c Vodka. Use cleaned, clear glass, container (canning jar works well). Split vanilla beans length wise, leave a small bit still attached on one end. Pour vodka into container and add beans, push the beans down so vodka completely covers them. Seal tightly and let sit out of light and heat. Lightly shake container daily to help develop. Using clear glass allows you to see the color/flavor develop. After minimum 2 months the extract will have a nice amber color. Pour vodka into small gift jars with a bean or two in each container. By adding the bean to the gift jars, the flavor will continue to develop, you can continue to add small amounts of vodka to the extract and the bean will keep working (not forever, obviously).

To decrease bitterness, add 1 Tbsp. of vanilla syrup into final mix to sweeten. YOU CAN FIND THE RECIPE FOR VANILLA SYRUP IN A PREVIOUS RECIPE POST!

**A great gift idea for anyone that loves Vanilla would be a gift basket with a bottle of vanilla extract, a bottle of vanilla simple syrup, and a decorative glass jar with vanilla sugar.**

Vanilla Sugar
4 C Granulated Sugar
1 Vanilla Bean

Split bean length wise, leave a small bit attached on one end. Put sugar and vanilla bean in sealed container, stir occasionally. Will take 5-7 weeks for vanilla flavor to develop in sugar.