Yes, you can! Just halve the vanilla bean and scrap the precious black caviars out from the bean and add them into your cookie dough or cake mix. Baking with real vanilla will give a certain depth of flavour to your bake goods that synthetic vanilla cannot give. Pure vanilla extract is the next best option and some bakers prefer it because of its convenience. However, if you want to go for a strong, full-bodied vanilla flavour, vanilla beans is the perfect choice.
This is the most common question and yet not easiest to answer. Like wine, different vanilla beans have different flavour profiles. There is no such thing as a superior bean except for the quality of the vanilla bean sold to you. We only sell premium vanilla beans that have been handpicked from different growers from around the world. This means, if we do not think the vanilla beans are good enough for our kitchen, it would not be good enough for you because believe in bringing only the best quality beans to your table. We carry two types of vanilla beans - Madagascar-Bourbon and Tahitian for your selection. So, the best vanilla beans are in its quality; they should carry these desirable characteristics that is moist, plump, pliable and is very aromatic. For different uses of vanilla beans check out our recipe page.
No, they don't. There are two species of vanilla orchids used for producing vanilla beans, or pods. Madagascar-Bourbon Vanilla is the generic name for Vanilla Planifolia where else Tahitian Vanilla comes from the Vanilla Tahitiensis. The biggest difference is in the flavour profile the two varieties. Bourbon vanilla has a creamy, smooth and mellow aroma that is akin to the familiar vanilla scent we all know and love. Tahitian Vanilla is very aromatic and has a florally and aniseed undertone, which lends it a complex vanilla tones. Both have their distinct flavour and aroma and yet when combined they bring out the best of vanilla flavours. [ Check out our vanilla products –link-]
The money is in the cultivation of the vanilla beans and the curing process the beans go through to bring out its natural flavour and aroma. It is a labour intensive procedure to hand pollinates each time-sensitive flower of the vanilla orchid and 3-6 months from harvest for the vanilla beans to be ready for use.
Storing vanilla beans cannot be easier. Wrap the vanilla beans with saran wrap and store them in a dark place under room temperature (15C - 20C). Vanilla beans if properly stored can stay fresh for up to 12-14 months at a time. Do not store vanilla beans in the fridge or the freezer because it can cause mold to grow over time. Remember to always keep your vanilla beans away from direct sunlight as well. Treat the beans as how you would with your spices - vanilla bean is a spice after all!
Vanilla beans can last for up to 12-14 months if stored properly. Sometimes due to prolonged exposure to moisture or if the beans were not stored properly, mold can grow on the skin of the vanilla beans. This is not to be mistaken for the prized vanillin crystals. To check for mold, look at the vanilla bean check under the sun. Vanillin crystals will shimmer under the sunlight while mold look dull. All is not loss if your vanilla beans are mouldy just clean it with a bit of alcohol and then store them tightly with saran wrap.