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.
398 K 3.6/5 (80 reviews)
35 min.
Easy
1 pod
1 IngredientLast modified on: February 21th 2011
For 1 pod, you will need:
1 
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 | 1 RDI=0 % | 7 RDI: 0 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 10 RDI=1 % | 0 | 50 RDI=3 % | 220 RDI: 3 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 1 pod : 2.65 €
Change currency: 
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
Like these other recipes: Vanilla sugar, Pears in red wine with blackcurrant , Mousse with two chocolates, Mulled apple juice, Dried apricots, ... See them all 35
Other recipes you may also like
Salmon with sorrel
Salmon with sorrel is the perfect mix with tender salmon and the slight acidity of sorrel. October 13th 2010314 K 15 1 hour 25 min.
Caramel rice pudding
We start with a classic rice pudding and add beaten eggs, this is poured onto hot caramel in the bottom of a dish, and then cooked in a bain-marie in the oven until firm like a cake. February 11th 2011264 K5 1 hour 40 min.
Pistachio cream
Very similar to almond cream, pistachio cream is ideal for filling or topping all kinds of cakes and tarts. Just like almond cream, it swells during cooking. October 4th 2012312 K 63.9 35 min.
Greek salad
This is a classy version of that perfect summer food, Greek salad. The only difficult part is the care and patience needed for dicing the vegetables. July 13th 2010204 K 14.9 60 min.
How to fry eggs well
You've probably heard the expression: "S/he can't even cook an egg," suggesting that the person referred is a hopeless cook. In reality, frying eggs well isn't as easy as it might appear. The two most frequent errors: the white develops a brown crust around the outside which is unpleasant in the mouth, or the yolk is surrounded by white that is still raw and runny. Here is a foolproof and easy method that will help you avoid both. March 11th 2018516 K 14.6 20 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-14)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe (as 2 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.