Finding the best ingredients and using them in delights produced for friends and loved ones is the thrill of making recipes from scratch for many bakers. A new type of vanilla has recently become quite popular in the baking industry, and with good reason. Pure vanilla extract and vanilla pods are combined to create a thick, delicious substance called vanilla bean paste. When flavoring cakes, pastries, ice creams, and many other foods, chefs and home bakers alike have learned to love the convenience of vanilla bean paste over scraping whole vanilla beans. Our Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste was first offered to customers more than 30 years ago, and since then, it has grown to be one of their favorites.
Do not misunderstand us; pure vanilla extract still merits a prominent place in any baker's cupboard because of the deep, nuanced flavor it possesses as well as its flavor-enhancing qualities. However, there are several crucial distinctions between vanilla paste and extract that every baker should be aware of in order to maximize the flavor of every dish you create. We are here to help you understand the major distinctions between vanilla pastes, whether you've never heard of it or have used it a few times in baking, so you may become an expert like us.
Vanilla extract
Our premium, hand-selected vanilla beans are produced in many different countries and used to create our pure vanilla extracts. By blending cane alcohol and vanilla beans in a lengthy, cold extraction process that retains all of the complex flavor compounds contained in the vanilla beans, we employ a proprietary method to safeguard all of the nuances. Because of this, our vanilla extracts have a full-bodied, rich flavor that goes well with both Savoury and sweet meals.
Due to the various temperatures, soils, curing techniques, and species of vanilla used, each region from which we acquire our vanilla has its own particular flavor profile and flavor traits. For instance, Madagascar vanilla has a creamy, sweet taste. Mexican vanilla is renowned for its creamy, sweet, and somewhat spicy undertones. Vanilla from Tahiti has a delicious and floral flavor. Regardless of the source you select, this liquid form of vanilla makes it simple to measure and add the familiar flavor and aroma to ice cream, cakes, cookies, smoothies, cocktails, and more.
vanilla extract is best for
- pastries
- cocktails
- pasta sauces
- cookies
- cakes
- hot chocolate
- chocolate desserts
Vanilla bean paste
Our premium vanilla extracts are used to create our vanilla bean pastes, which also contain actual vanilla seeds and a natural thickening to vary the consistency. When you truly want vanilla to be the star of the recipe, it is better to use vanilla bean paste. Do you yearn for those smooth, vanilla bean specks? Put vanilla bean paste to use. The addition of this aesthetic flourish elevates traditional desserts like crème Brulé, pastry cream, or French vanilla ice cream and gives them a more upscale, gourmet feel. This effect can also be achieved using whole vanilla beans, but they can be more expensive and take longer to prepare. Vanilla bean paste is the perfect solution if you want to give your desserts the upscale appearance of vanilla bean seeds without increasing the time and cost of your bake.
vanilla paste is best for
- puddings
- whipped cream
- smoothies
- oatmeal
- ice cream
- frosting
- cream brulee
Whenever to substitute vanilla paste for vanilla extract
You might be wondering whether vanilla bean paste is superior to vanilla extract after learning more about the two products. The gist of the response is that it depends on the baking recipe. The same premium vanilla beans are used in both our Pure Vanilla Extract and Pure Vanilla Paste, however due to the variations in consistency and the inclusion of vanilla bean specks in the paste, they have slightly different applications. Because of this, they both have earned a place in many bakers' spice cabinets so that the ideal vanilla is always available, regardless of the dish. Here are a few of our favorite applications for each item.
Our premium vanilla extracts are used to create our vanilla bean pastes, which also contain actual vanilla seeds and a natural thickening to vary the consistency. When you truly want vanilla to be the star of the recipe, it is better to use vanilla bean paste. Do you yearn for those smooth, vanilla bean specks? Put vanilla bean paste to use. The addition of this aesthetic flourish elevates traditional desserts like crème brûlée, pastry cream, or French vanilla ice cream and gives them a more upscale, gourmet feel. This effect can also be achieved using whole vanilla beans, but they can be more expensive and take longer to prepare. Vanilla bean paste is the perfect solution if you want to give your desserts the upscale appearance of vanilla bean seeds without increasing the time and cost of your bake.
Conclusion
Vanilla bean paste can absolutely be replaced with vanilla extract. Be aware that vanilla bean paste may somewhat alter the texture of your icing, batter, or beverage because it is thicker than vanilla extract. If your recipe calls for paste but all you have is extract, you can replace the paste with the same amount of extract.
