Does anyone ever use pure vanilla powder instead of liquid? Of course, I would rather use vanilla beans if they are widely available locally, but they are not. Sigh!
Anyway, I did some googling and found this information which sounds interesting.
Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder
This is the essence of Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla on an organic, sugar-free, powder base. It can be used in dry mixes, in liquid or color-sensitive products and as a flavoring for beverages. Use it also to add the flavor of Pure Vanilla to fresh fruit and baked goods. It is used measure for measure the same as Organic Pure Vanilla Extract.
What I like about the powder is ease of handling compared to liquid, especially when a small amount is needed. Of course, it may not be raw, but we use vanilla mostly for flavoring, right?
It would be great to hear from those who make scrumptious desserts all the time like Carmella, Fairygirl and wyjoz for feedback.
I found some raw vanilla powder (which is just the sundried beans ground really fine) and not dextrose sprayed with vanilla flavoring like most vanilla powders are...
I'm going to order some soon, I'd love to try a more intense vanilla flavor, and I feel like I go though my liquid extract like it's water...
Anywhoo, here's where I'm going to get it from... http://www.livingtreecommunity.com/s...id=94&catid=18
It sounds delicious, and Rawbie I would just go for it if you're curious, from everything I've read it's extremely better than any liquid extract you can find...
AND it leaves those delicious little vanilla flecks... hee hee
Funny, yesterday I poundered that good vanilla is soooo good and so addictive. Powder or whole pods are definitely better than extracts.
LL
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Sundried Vanilla Powder (from Living Tree Community)
Vanilla powder is made by pulverizing the whole dried beans to a fine powder. Vanilla powder is well suited to incorporation into liquid-sensitive mixtures, such as some icings and melted chocolate, where even a small amount of liquid could create a problem; and into raw mixtures in which vanilla beans would not have a chance to impart their flavor evenly and thoroughly. In addition, the flavor of vanilla powder is more intense than that of most extracts and does not dissipate even with prolonged cooking. Vanilla powder will keep indefinitely, stored in an opaque, airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Intensely vanilla, it takes over 220 vanilla beans to make a pound of vanilla powder. Bliss out with a mix of vanilla, raw carob and mesquite powder; sprinkle on everything you eat.
Yeah, rawererin, I had a chance to sample this particular vanilla powder from The Living Tree Community and went to heaven! It is unbelievably intense, but delicious! Of course, the powder is pricey, but you only need a small amount at a time.
By the way, don't bother looking at the vanilla powder in my initial post of this thread.
The Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder is a free-flowing sugar- and alcohol-free dry product which may be used as a replacement for pure vanilla in any recipe.
The main reason why Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Powder is a free-flowing product is because it includes maltodextrin as the ingredient. Maltodextrin, as a free flowing food additive, is derived from rice, corn, potato or wheat and is often used to turn high oil or fatty food substances into free flowing powder. This might be an issue for those who are strictly raw or wheat intolerant.
Rawbie how much of the vanilla powder do you use, I know it's supposed to be a lot less than you would use of the liquid extract...
1/4 tsp?
1/2 tsp?
Well, the recommended ratio between powder and extract is 1:1 which I consider is a little too much for my taste. The striking thing about the sun-dried vanilla powder from The Living Tree Community has a very full-bodied and well-rounded flavor. My suggestion is to use it according to taste. Start off with less amount than indicated in the recipe and then work from there.
By the way, you might want to read useful information from Rhio regarding vanilla beans/powder.
The VANILLA BEAN is the fruit of certain varieties of tropical orchids. It originated in Mexico, but today is also cultivated in such exotic places as Tahiti, Madagascar and Bali. Vanilla is truly an intoxicating smell and taste experience.
VANILLA POWDER, as called for in some of the recipes, is simply ground vanilla bean: Cut 3 vanilla beans into small pieces, put them into a nut (or coffee) grinder, and grind as fine as possible. Store in a small glass jar in the refrigerator, and use as needed. It keeps for months. If it develops an off smell, then discard; but I've never had this happen. The alternative to making the vanilla powder would be to just cut a small piece of vanilla from the pod. Cut into small pieces and blend into the recipe. Depending on the quality of your equipment, it may or may not break down completely, and get blended.
If your vanilla bean is too moist and doesn't powder up in the nut mill, then leave the vanilla bean out at room temperature for a couple of days so that it dries a bit. Under no circumstances put the vanilla bean in a food dehydrator, because it will lose all its flavor. You could even grind up this moist vanilla bean, but it will come out like the texture of ground tobacco, instead of as a powder. This has just as much flavor and works just as well in the recipes. Store in the refrigerator.
VANILLA WATER: Cut 2 vanilla beans into pieces, grind in a nut grinder, then put the powder into the blender with 1/2 cup of filtered water and blend well. This will keep in the refrigerator for about 3-4 weeks; after that, it will ferment. You can also freeze the vanilla water in ice cube trays and pop out a cube as needed. Frozen, it keeps much longer.
Both of the above can be used as substitutes for commercial vanilla extract which, besides containing alcohol, may be extracted with solvents. Solvents have no place in a healthy diet. Commercial vanilla extract may also contain other additives.
(I think this is why you never see vanilla sold in a powder form like other spices. Actually, I have seen vanilla powder sold in some specialty stores, but then it is loaded with additives and I doubt it is a natural vanilla at all.)
This sounds like a great product - I have never used it, but am definately interested!! Vanilla beans are expensive, and I can't get them around here...same with the pure vanilla extract.
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