Vanilla Paste

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (114g) fresh vanilla beans

• 6 ounces (170g) water

• 16 ounces (454g) granulated sugar

• 12 ounces (340g) vodka or light rum (80 proof)

• 2 ounces (57g) light corn syrup

• 1⁄2 teaspoon (1.5g) xanthan gum (optional but recommended)

Directions

• Cut the vanilla beans into about 3 pieces each. Add all of the ingredients, except the xanthan, to the blender jar. It helps to just set the blender jar on the kitchen scale and use the tare function to add each ingredient.

• Slowly turn the speed of the blender to high and let it run for at least 2 minutes. Stop the blender and check to see that the vanilla beans are broken down into bits as small as the vanilla caviar itself. Process longer if needed. Turn the blender back on medium-low speed and slowly sprinkle the xanthan gum in through the port in the lid. Let run for about 15-30 seconds to evenly disperse the xanthan gum. Because the paste is warm from all of the friction generated it will thicken more as it cools to room temperature.

• Store paste at room temperature in an airtight container. Let the paste sit at room temperature, ideally at least one month, to mature and soften the alcohol flavors. Paste can be used immediately if using in a cooked application like a cake batter

Notes

• For easier blending add cut beans & appropriate amount of alcohol for recipe to a jar and let sit for a few weeks before making. This will soften the beans and make them easier to blend without leaving chunks behind.

• All measurements are done by WEIGHT not VOLUME. Ounces are weight and not fluid ounces by cup. A kitchen scale is necessary for accurate measurements.

• This recipe is best made using a high powered blender. Others have had success using other blenders, immersion blenders, and food processors by making the paste as written, letting it sit for one month, blending again, and then passing the paste through a fine mesh strainer. Any solids can be dehydrated and ground for vanilla powder to be used in various ways.

• The recipe is most consistently made with madagascar bourbon cure beans. Other beans may yield different results but should still be delicious.

• The recipe is written to utilize fresh beans. Extracted beans can be used but the weight of the beans should be calculated based on their original weight and not weight after extracting. Any weight gain of the beans should then be subtracted from the alcohol added in the recipe.

• I recommend using a neutral flavored spirit like vodka or light rum so as to not interfere with the nuanced flavors of the vanilla.

• Xanthan gum is added to help keep the caviar suspended within the paste. If you omit it the paste will be slightly less thick and the caviar may fall to the bottom of the container. That’s okay, just give it a good stir before using. Don’t be tempted to add more xanthan though. It can become slimy and unpleasant quickly. -Karo corn syrup (and the brands you see in the grocery store) is just plain glucose syrup with a little added salt and pure vanilla extract. It is very different from the commercial sweetener “high-fructose corn syrup.” It is included in the recipe because it is an invert sugar that will help prevent the paste from possibly crystallizing. Using alternatives like honey or agave syrup could yield different results.

• Because the alcohol is not cooked away it is shelf stable with no need to float additional alcohol on the surface.

• Vanilla bean paste can be used 1:1 in any recipe that calls for vanilla extract.

• If using a full size blender you may have difficulty making a smaller size batch. Blenders need a certain volume for the blades to efficiently grab on to and break down food. If you only have a small, personal sized blender, feel free to make a small batch.