Vanilla bean is a staple for many home bakers, add it to muffins, cookies or homemade granola for that beautiful vanilla taste.  The reason I make my own vanilla bean paste and powder is because it is so expensive to buy from the supermarket.  A 50g jar of vanilla bean paste or 3 vanilla beans bought from the supermarket cost $10 each.  I purchase A grade vanilla beans from Vanilla & Co, you are able to buy small quantities or in bulk.  When I last bought 100g of 14.5cm vanilla beans I received 39 vanilla beans.  With the 39 vanilla beans I made 50g of vanilla powder (a 75g jar cost $35) and 2 x 250g jars of vanilla bean paste.

Vanilla essence is split vanilla beans soaked in a non tasting alcohol like vodka over a long period of time (6 months +).  Vanilla bean paste is made with vanilla beans, water and sugar.  Both are diluted.  Vanilla bean powder is the purest as it is dried, grounded vanilla beans hence why you use less when cooking with it.

Vanilla Bean Paste

Ingredients

• 10 vanilla beans
• 200g sugar (white, raw and rapadura work fine.  Do not substitute for honey, rice malt syrup or maple syrup).
• 150g filtered water

1. Mill sugar in Thermomix bowl 15 seconds, speed 10
2. Add vanilla beans and mill with sugar 15 seconds, speed 10
3. Scrape down the sides
4. Add water and cook 10 min / 100 degrees / speed 2
5. Take out the MC and cook for a further 5 min / 100 degrees / speed 2
6. Pour into a sterilized glass jar and store in pantry (last for a good 6 months if not longer)Vanilla Bean Powder

• 20 vanilla beans

1. If using an oven preheat to 100 degrees, if using a dehydrator preheat to 65 degrees
2. Using a knife cut each vanilla bean down the middle
3. Place on a wire rack
4. Put in the oven for 1 hour or put in the dehydrator for 2 hours.
5. Break vanilla beans into half and place in Thermomix bowl.  Mill 1 min speed 10.
6. Store in a glass jar.