Native Vanilla reveals double-fold secrets

It has often been used as a way to describe things that are a little bit bland, a little bit plain and a little bit dull – but in truth vanilla can be one of the most intense and exciting ingredients out there.
Discover the secret of great vanilla flavouringDiscover the secret of great vanilla flavouring
Discover the secret of great vanilla flavouring

Home bakers and ice-cream makers will already know that sourcing the right vanilla product can be the difference between something that’s so-so and something so good it’s hard to put down.

So what is the secret to getting a great vanilla flavoring?

The experts at Native Vanilla have put together this helpful guide on what packs the greatest punch and how you can make it in your own home.

How to add intensity and punch to your recipesHow to add intensity and punch to your recipes
How to add intensity and punch to your recipes

Single-fold vanilla extract

Single-fold vanilla extract contains a minimum of 35% alcohol and 100 grams of vanilla beans per litre of alcohol. Most pure vanilla extract found in shops is single-fold extract. It’s the most popular type of pure vanilla extract used by home bakers and cooks. Be sure to check the label on the brand of extract you buy to ensure it’s pure and not factory-made imitation vanilla extract – a much cheaper product made using synthetic vanillin derived from the residue of sapwood and charcoal.

Double-fold vanilla extract

Double-fold vanilla extract is the one for delicious vanilla-infused sweet and savoury dishes. It contains almost twice the quantity of vanilla beans used for the same volume of single-fold extract.

To double the flavour profile, the double-fold extract uses approximately 180 grams of vanilla beans per litre of alcohol.

What you get is a vanilla flavour and aroma profile that is doubly delicious and decadent.

The double-fold extract has long been a secret of the finest bakers and chefs in the world. Double the vanilla bean content makes it twice as strong. Double-fold vanilla extract is particularly revered for spicing up fine dining desserts and the highest-grade ice-creams.

Bakers prefer using double-fold vanilla extract in desserts, cakes and ice-cream anglaise because it gives off a powerful aromatic vanilla flavour.

Most supermarkets do not stock double-fold vanilla extract and fans of the product usually order it online. You can also make your own double-fold vanilla extract for home use.

The simplest recipe for homemade vanilla extract only calls for two ingredients; quality Bourbon vanilla beans and any alcohol of your choice.

To work out your quantities to double-up the flavour punch, follow these guideline:

For homemade single-fold vanilla extract, you would use 2 or 3 beans per cup of vodka or 45 grams per 1 cup/250 ml.

For homemade double-fold vanilla extract, you would use between 4 to 5 beans per cup of vodka or 45 grams per 1 cup/250 ml.

Method

Split the vanilla beans lengthways to open them up to release the seeds. Place the whole split vanilla beans in an air-tight container with the right quantity of alcohol. Splitting or chopping up the vanilla beans helps with the infusion process.

You can use any alcohol for your homemade double-fold vanilla extract as long as it is 80 percent proof. The most popular choices are vodka, bourbon, brandy and rum. Most home bakers and cooks use vodka to infuse vanilla beans because it has a neutral flavour.

Let the vanilla beans infuse for at least 6 to 8 weeks. Remember to shake the container every few days to swirl around the pods that settle on the bottom. The longer your vanilla beans are left to infuse, the more flavour you’ll extract from them.

Vanilla bean extract can last up to 12 months, sometimes longer, as long as it’s stored in an air-tight container in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

With double-folded vanilla extract, you can use the same amount of extract specified in the recipe for single-fold extract to double up on flavour. Or you can use less extract than the recipe requires.

What about vanilla powder?

Vanilla powder is ground up vanilla beans. Pure ground vanilla powder is more pricey than vanilla sugar because it’s made from pure vanilla pods, with no artificial or additional ingredients added. Vanilla powder should be dark brown since the entire bean is used.

Vanilla bean powder can also be made from spent vanilla beans which are also referred to as exhausted or expended beans. These beans are the ‘leftovers’ from the vanilla extract process, being sifted out of the vanilla extract liquid.

Vanilla powder gives a really concentrated flavour, so if you’re substituting powder for beans, extract or paste in recipes, use a half teaspoon of ground powder for 1 bean, or a half teaspoon of ground powder for every teaspoon of extract or paste.

Vanilla powder is best used when vanilla is the dominant flavour in the recipe, such as ice cream, or when you are cooking something at very high heat or for an extended period of time It provides a more robust vanilla flavour and responds better to the baking process. Remember, vanilla extract relies on alcohol to carry the flavour, but the alcohol and some of the vanilla flavour evaporate under the heat of the baking process.

This doesn’t happen to vanilla powder which maintains its flavour and aroma even when subjected to high heat.