How to use a vanilla pod effectively
Vanilla pods are used in many recipes, but they need to treated in a particular way to be effective, detailed here.
394 K 3.6/5 (80 reviews)
35 min.
Easy
2 pods
1 IngredientLast modified on: February 21th 2011
For 2 pods, you will need:
2 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 9 min.
Resting: 15 min.
Cooking: 10 min.
All in all: 35 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 2 min.
Cut vanilla pod in two, then split each part in two lengthways.
Stage 2 - 2 min.
With the back, not the sharp edge, of a knife blade, scrape out all the small black seeds which contain the essence of the vanilla flavour.
Stage 3 - 2 min.
Add these small black seeds to the liquid of your recipe, here milk for custard sauce (crème anglaise).
Stage 4 - 10 min.
Add pod too, to get the whole flavour.
Bring to the boil, then remove from heat, cover and leave to stand for about 15 minutes, so that the milk absorbes the taste.
Bring to the boil, then remove from heat, cover and leave to stand for about 15 minutes, so that the milk absorbes the taste.
Stage 5 - 15 min.
It's important to strain the milk afterwards to remove all the bits, especially the small brown fibres of vanilla pod.
To do this, pour the milk throught a strainer...
To do this, pour the milk throught a strainer...
Stage 6 - 3 min.
... to remove them, but use a strainer that is not too fine to allow the small black seeds to pass through.
See in this photo what's left after filtering: skins and brown fibres which would spoil your dish.
See in this photo what's left after filtering: skins and brown fibres which would spoil your dish.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 RDI=0 % | 10 RDI: 0 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 10 RDI=1 % | 0 | 50 RDI=3 % | 220 RDI: 3 % |
| Per pod | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 RDI=0 % | 7 RDI: 0 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 2 pods : 5.25 €
- Per pod : 2.65 €
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Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Vanilla pod
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