I just got 4 vanilla beans, what's the best thing to make out of them?

Question

I already have a few ice cream recipes, but would like ideas for other desserts, thanks!

Answer 1

Hey Now...

FYI
Wow your lucky, make sure you store them correctly before they dry out.
Beans should be kept in a tightly-closed container in a refrigerated area where they should last up to six months. Whole beans that have been used in sauces or other liquids can be rinsed, thoroughly dried, and stored for reuse.

Here are a couple of my suggestions.

Creme Brulee

Ingredients:
1/2 gallon heavy cream
1 cup sugar
2 vanilla bean, split
16 egg yolks

Directions:
Heat cream to a boil with vanilla bean. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until light. Add cream to egg yolks and pour into 4 shallow or rimmed soup bowls. Bake in water bath at 300 degrees until firm. (approximately 35-40 minutes). Refrigerate for several hours. To serve, sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar evenly on top and place under broiler until brown.


Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups 2% or whole milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 vanilla bean, about 3 inches long, split lengthwise
2 Tbsp butter
1-2 tsp brandy
1 graham cracker coated pie shell, baked and cooled
2 medium bananas
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:
1. Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan. Add yolks, then immediately but gradually whisk in milk and evap. milk. drop in vanilla bean. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently at first, and then constantly as mixture starts to thicken and begins to simmer, 8-10 minutes.
Once mixture simmers, continue to cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute longer. Remove pan from heat; whisk in brandy and butter. Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, whisk them back into filling.

2. Pour filling into shallow pan (another pie pan works well). Put plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming; cool until warm, about 30 minutes. Pour 1/2 of the warm filling into pie shell, slice the bananas over filling, then top with second half of filling. Once again, place sheet of plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.

3. Whip cream to soft peaks. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla; continue to whip to barely stiff peaks. Spread over filling and refrigerate until ready to serve.


Panna Cotta
(An Italian eggless custard, thickened with gelatin and flavored with nothing but vanilla.)

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 (1/4 ounce) pkg. unflavored gelatin
1 vanilla bean
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
An assortment of berries, or raspberry sauce

Directions:
Place 1/2 cup milk in a medium saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over it; let it sit five minutes.

Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the gelatin dissolves completely.

Cut the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise. Scrape the seeds; add both the seeds and the pod to the pot, along with the remaining milk, cream and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until steam arises from the pot. Turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 15 to 30 minutes.

Remove the vanilla pod and pour the mixture into six custard cups. Chill until set. Serve in the cups, or dip the cups in hot water for about 10 seconds each, then invert onto plates.

Serve the same day you make it, with berries or sauce if you like.

Enjoy
Smiles

Answer 2

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ground pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons melted butter

Cheesecake filling
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese (softened)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 vanilla beans
4 eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°F
In a bowl, mix together the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and ground pecans if you have them. Add the butter and mix well. Press evenly into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar a few tablespoons at a time and then the flour and vanilla extract. Add the eggs and heavy cream, beating on low speed until it is all combined. Split open your vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds and guts inside the bean. Add this to your batter. Save your split beans to garnish the top of the cheesecake.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the middle of the oven until set, the center should be slightly soft. It should bake for 55 to 70 minutes. Remove from the oven, loosen the outer ring and let cool in the pan.
Refrigerate the cake, for about 6 hours, then remove the outer ring. Top with the vanilla beans and a sprig of something green like peppermint leaf.

Answer 3

You can scrape some of it into milk for a tasty drink? Or add to a homemade smoothie or milkshake.

You can add them to yogurt.

You can add some vanilla to your oatmeal or any cold or hot cereal.

Someone gave the idea of storing them in a sugar canister, I love this idea and I wonder if you could also infuse coffee creamer too?

These aren't official recipes...just ways to top...

I think it would be great in any cookie recipe. I don't know the conversion for fresh vs extract. But you are probably dealing with something stronger. To up the stakes on any cookie recipe, another tip is to use RAW instead of white sugar. I think the name is turbinado sugar, it is light brown but it is granulated sugar. So good.

Answer 4

specific, chop up them scrape the seeds and positioned them in an hermetic field and freeze them until summer season! Vanilla beans will additionally shop appropriate in an hermetic jar interior the pantry until then as is. in case you have a sort of vacuum packing machines that sucks each and all the air out of a plastic pouch, that could be appropriate for conserving the beans on the pantry shelf or interior the freezer.

Answer 5

Split one open and scrape into the cream mixture for Creme Brulee. A scrapped vanilla bean also adds a little something extra to Crispy Creme Bread Pudding.

Answer 6

VANILLA BEAN COOKIE

1 lb. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
2 c. finely ground blanched almonds
3 c. sifted all purpose flour
1 vanilla bean
1 c. sifted confectioners' sugar

Cream butter until light. Gradually add sugar. Add finely ground almonds, flour and mix thoroughly.
Chill dough for several hours. Pinch off snips of dough the size of walnut. Place on ungreased sheet and press each with bottom of glass until 2" wide.

Bake in 325 degree oven or slow oven for 12 minutes or until cookies are pale beige. Meanwhile, pound vanilla bean (or buy vanilla bean powder). Mix with confectioners' sugar. Gently, please. Sift lightly over warm cookies. Yield: 50 to 60.






FRUIT SALAD WITH VANILLA BEAN SYRUP

1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
1 tsp. grated orange peel
8 c. assorted fresh fruit

Split vanilla bean lengthwise, scrap seeds into small saucepan. Add bean halves, sugar, orange juice and orange peel. Over medium heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until becomes light syrup. Pour syrup into large serving container, if using vanilla extract instead of bean, stir into syrup at this point. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then pour syrup over fresh fruit. Makes 6 servings.


Check here for other desserts recipes: http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=+vanilla++beans

Answer 7

I was going to suggest sticking them in a bowl of sugar. After awhile the sugar will acquire some of the vanilla flavor, and can be used in coffee or what have you where that flavor would be appreciated. And best of all, the beans can still be used for cooking.

Answer 8

use the beans for your desserts, but put the skins in your sugar jars. like the previous poster said, it gives your sugar this slight flavor that will go great in just about anything you use sugar for.

Answer 9

Vanilla bean cheesecake!!!

Answer 10

put the beans in some cheap vodka to infuse the flavor... then use that in place of vanilla extract in all of your recipies that call for it.