Vanilla bean paste has become a popular staple in many home kitchens. But what exactly is vanilla bean paste, and how do you use it? This versatile ingredient can add deep, aromatic vanilla flavor to everything from cakes and cookies to beverages and sauces.
If you have a jar of vanilla bean paste in your pantry, here are 10 delicious ways to make the most of it:
1. Add It to Baked Goods
Vanilla bean paste is ideal for flavoring all kinds of baked goods. You can use it in place of vanilla extract in recipes for cakes, cookies pies muffins, quick breads, and more. The vanilla paste adds tiny flecks of vanilla beans throughout for beautiful visual appeal and intense vanilla taste in every bite.
Try using it in recipes like cakes, brownies, sugar cookies, scones, and cupcakes. Just swap the same amount of vanilla paste for the vanilla extract called for in your recipe.
2. Fold It into Frosting and Whipped Cream
Take frostings and whipped creams to the next level by folding in vanilla bean paste Just a teaspoon or two will make vanilla frosting extra rich and creamy with vanilla bean specks throughout. For sweetened whipped cream, a little vanilla paste adds great flavor for topping pies, cakes, waffles, pancakes, and more
3. Sweeten Breakfasts
Wake up your mornings with a touch of vanilla! Stir a bit of vanilla bean paste into oatmeal, yogurt, overnight oats chia pudding or your morning smoothie. You can also use it to flavor French toast batter, pancake batter, or waffle batter. The options are endless for adding a hit of vanilla to breakfast.
4. Flavor Beverages
Stir vanilla bean paste into hot or cold beverages for a flavor boost. Add it to coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk, plant-based milks, shakes, lemonade, and more. The vanilla paste quickly incorporates into both hot and cold liquids. Just give your drink a quick stir after adding around 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of paste.
5. Enhance Sauces and Dressings
Don’t stop at desserts – vanilla bean paste can be used to add flavor in savory dishes too. Add it to sauces, vinaigrettes, marinades, dips, and spreads to lend a touch of sweetness and aroma. For example, try it in creme brulee, hollandaise sauce, salad dressing, bbq sauce, or aioli.
6. Make Vanilla Sugar
For a handy vanilla flavoring to have on hand, make your own vanilla sugar! Simply add 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste to 1 cup of granulated sugar in an airtight container. Mix well and let the mixture sit for 1 week so the flavors can fully develop. Then you’ll have aromatic vanilla sugar to sprinkle on oatmeal, coffee, baked goods, fruit, and more.
7. Bake Vanilla Extract
You can stretch your vanilla bean paste even further by using it to make homemade vanilla extract. Combine 1/4 cup vanilla bean paste with 1 cup vodka or rum in a jar. Let it sit for 1 month, shaking occasionally, then you’ll have your own double strength vanilla extract.
8. Boost Candies and Fudge
Vanilla bean paste adds phenomenal flavor to all sorts of candies and fudge. It provides intense vanilla in a concentrated form that won’t thin out candy mixtures. Stir it into caramel for sea salt vanilla caramels, add to fudge, or swirl it into cheesecake fillings. The options are endless!
9. Blend into Smoothies
Here’s an easy way to add extra richness and flavor to your daily smoothie routine. Simply add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste to your favorite green smoothie, fruit smoothie, shake, or protein drink. The vanilla paste incorporates smoothly into thick blended beverages.
10. Bake It into Edible Gifts
Whip up some homemade edible gifts flavored with vanilla bean paste. Vanilla extract makes a great DIY gift for the bakers in your life. Or package up cookies, muffins, candy, baked goods, and other tasty treats flavored with vanilla paste. Homemade edible gifts make great presents for birthdays, holidays, housewarmings, and more.
What Exactly is Vanilla Bean Paste?
Vanilla bean paste is a thick, concentrated paste made from vanilla bean pods. It contains vanilla extract plus tiny vanilla bean specks throughout. These flecks of real vanilla beans provide more flavor and aroma compared to extract alone.
Authentic vanilla bean paste is made by blending vanilla bean powder with vanilla extract and a sugar syrup base. The result is a smooth, spoonable paste packed with real vanilla taste. It has a consistency similar to molasses.
When shopping, check the ingredients list on vanilla bean paste. Real paste contains vanilla bean extract, sugar, water, and vanilla seeds. Imitation pastes often contain thickeners, artificial flavors, and lower quality extract.
How is Vanilla Bean Paste Different from Vanilla Extract?
Both vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste provide vanilla flavoring. But there are some key differences:
- Ingredients – Paste contains vanilla bean specks; extract does not
- Consistency – Paste is thick like molasses; extract is thin and liquidy
- Flavor – Paste has a richer, more nuanced flavor from the vanilla beans
- Sweetness – Paste contains sugar while extract does not
- Substitution – Use paste and extract interchangeably in recipes
So while you can swap paste for extract in recipes, the paste will provide a more intense vanilla taste and visual appeal from the vanilla bean flecks.
Storing and Shelf Life of Vanilla Bean Paste
To retain freshness and flavor, be sure to store vanilla bean paste properly. Here are some tips:
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Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard away from heat, light, and moisture.
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Refrigerating is not necessary and can cause condensation in the paste.
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Use a clean utensil to scoop to avoid introducing bacteria.
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Write the opened date on the jar.
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Use within 1-2 years for best quality and flavor.
When stored optimally, vanilla bean paste can last 2-3 years past its printed expiration date. Be sure to check for signs of mold, discoloration, separation, or loss of aroma before using.
Time to Start Baking with Vanilla Bean Paste!
Now that you know the many ways to use vanilla bean paste, it’s time to start cooking and baking with this versatile vanilla ingredient! Add it to frostings, sauces, baked goods, beverages, and more for extra richness, visual appeal, and delicious flavor. With proper storage, your vanilla bean paste can last for over a year.
Anniversary Blend Barrel Aged Vanilla Extract This specialty vanilla was developed with ultra-premium, Madagascar vanilla beans, cold-extracted for two weeks using our artisanal process before barrel aging for five years in American oak whiskey barrels. Over the course of time, it has developed a mellow, creamy, and complex vanilla flavor with added nuance, depth, and earthy base notes imparted from the oak cask.
Vanilla paste is also called vanilla puree. It is a blend of pure vanilla extract, sugar syrup, and vanilla bean seeds in a convenient product. The sugar syrup holds the vanilla bean seeds in place, so you can easily add their appealing look without having to cut open the vanilla pod.
Vanilla bean paste is often used in dairy recipes like vanilla cheesecake, vanilla frosting, vanilla crème brulee, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream. The tiny black seeds stand out against the creamy white mix for an appetizing vanilla bean look. Add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of Pure Vanilla Bean Paste to your favorite recipe to use it in any of these ways. Or, if pure vanilla extract is an ingredient, substitute paste for extract at a 1:1 ratio.
Other traditional uses are cream fillings, custards, mousses, and vanilla sauces. Vanilla paste is a dream for all of these recipes too!
You can also bake with vanilla bean paste! For example, you can use vanilla puree in white and yellow cakes, shortbread, and sugar cookies. The vanilla bean seeds will make these treats look fancy. The same substitution rule applies to these recipes.
Expert’s Guide to Vanilla: Extract, Paste, Powder, and Whole Beans
FAQ
Is vanilla bean paste better than extract?
Can you use vanilla bean paste in place of vanilla?
Can you use vanilla paste in coffee?
Can you use vanilla bean paste in baking?
One of the most common ways to use vanilla bean paste is in baking. It can be used in place of vanilla extract in most recipes, and it adds a more intense and complex vanilla flavor to baked goods. To use vanilla bean paste in baking, simply substitute it for the amount of vanilla extract called for in the recipe.
Can you use vanilla bean paste for vanilla extract?
Vanilla bean paste can be used one-to-one for vanilla extract in most recipes. Note–there’s not a thing wrong with pure vanilla extract. If that’s what’s in your pantry, use it! But when it’s time to buy another bottle, consider trying out paste instead.
When should I use vanilla paste?
Use the paste when vanilla is the recipe’s chief ingredient (like in vanilla cake) instead of when the flavor is just a minor ingredient (like in sugar cookies). The paste is the perfect substitute for vanilla extract, ground vanilla bean powder, vanilla bean sugar, and whole vanilla bean pods. The measurement for each type is roughly equivalent.
What is vanilla bean paste used for?
Vanilla bean paste can also be used to flavor beverages. Whether you’re making a latte, a smoothie, or a cocktail, a small amount of vanilla bean paste can add a delicious and aromatic vanilla flavor. You can stir it into hot or cold beverages, and it dissolves easily, so you don’t have to worry about it leaving a gritty texture in your drink.