Ahh…vanilla! What would a cook do without vanilla? This fragrant, sweet spice is used to take the ordinary cake, cookie, pie, or sauce recipe and make it extraordinary! Luckily for us, not only can we easily get our hands on this enchanting spice, but we even have the option to pick our favorite variety, the most popular being Bourbon (also known as Madagascar), Tahitian, or Mexican. When faced with these options, which one should you choose?
Unless you’re a vanilla aficionado, you most likely don’t know the difference between these three varieties of vanilla. Some people believe that vanilla is vanilla, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Bourbon, Tahitian, and Mexican vanilla all have unique flavor profiles, and they have something different to offer to the dishes they’re enhancing.
Vanilla is the world’s second most expensive spice – second only to saffron. That high price tag has many of us opting for imitation vanilla, even if we don’t admit it to anyone.
The flavor of vanilla is very complex. Vanilla beans are a product of the environment. Therefore, like coffee beans and wine grapes, there are significant taste differences depending on where and how the vanilla plant is grown and how the vanilla beans are cured.
Bourbon vanilla beans are grown in Madagascar and the West Indian island of Réunion. Réunion was previously known as the island of Bourbon, which is where this vanilla got its common name. Because this is the most typical type of vanilla, this region supplies nearly 75 percent of all vanilla beans worldwide.
Bourbon or Madagascar vanilla is the flavor we think of when we imagine what vanilla tastes like. Bourbon beans are long and slender, with a very rich taste and smell. They have thick, oily skin, abundant tiny seeds, and a strong vanilla aroma. Bourbon beans are described as having a fruity, sweet, creamy, hay-like aroma with vanillin overtones. The vanilla taste is generally stronger compared to using other vanilla types.
This particular variety of vanilla bean is best for baking and long cooking because the strong flavors withstand heat better than other varieties. The flavor of this bean is meant to complement, not dominate, the dish. These beans are perfect for flavoring chocolate, coffee, cookies, ice cream, and most sweet dishes.
Tahitian vanilla comes from the island of Tahiti, part of the French Polynesia. Tahitian vanilla beans are darker, shorter, plumper, and moister than Bourbon vanilla. The skin is thinner, and they contain fewer seeds inside their pod. Tahitian vanilla beans tend to be deeper in color than vanilla from Mexico and Madagascar, but the flavor is more subtle.
Tahitian vanilla has a rich, fruity flavor with floral notes and slight vanillin with a touch of rum/bourbon-like notes. This bean has hints of cherry and anise.
The distinctive taste of this vanilla makes it a great choice for dishes that use vanilla as their main flavor profile. These beans are perfect for sweet dishes and even certain savory dishes. Tahitian vanilla should be used in cold preparations because the strong aroma dissipates with prolonged heat.
Grown in Mexico, Mexican vanilla pods are thicker than the others. This variety is darker and richer than Bourbon vanilla and has a robust, intoxicating fragrance. The flavor of Mexican vanilla is similar to Bourbon, though it has a mellower, smoother quality and a spicy, woody fragrance.
Mexican vanilla is best used in recipes where vanilla is meant to play a starring role. The flavor is great for rich baked goods. Try it in cream sauces, cheesecake, custard, ice cream, sweet breads, and other desserts. This variety of vanilla can be used in both hot and cold dishes.
Be sure always to check the label, as some lesser-quality Mexican vanilla products may contain coumarin, a potential toxin banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. To steer clear of this, look for Mexican vanilla with vanilla bean listed in its ingredients. Often, the price will be a good indicator as well. If it’s really cheap, it might not be the real thing.
Avoid vanilla beans with very little scent; they are smoky, brittle/dry, or mildewed. To store vanilla beans, you must wrap them in either wax paper or plastic wrap and place them in an airtight glass or plastic container. Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible from the container to prevent the vanilla beans from drying out.
It is recommended to store the airtight container in a cool, dark place such as a pantry or basement. You should never store vanilla beans in the refrigerator. Refrigeration will dry out the beans, and excess moisture can promote a particular type of mold specific to vanilla.
If the vanilla beans have dried out, rehydrate them in either milk or warm water for several hours. If the vanilla beans appear to contain “frost,” do not mistake this as mold. Frosty Vanillin crystals can develop on vanilla beans as the vanillin inside the bean migrates to the surface while the beans dry. These crystals appear shiny and are edible. If you do suspect actual mold, please discard the vanilla beans.
Liquid vanillas: Vanilla extracts may contain sugar, corn syrup, caramel, colors, or stabilizers. But, all additives must be shown on the label. Some companies use 25% or more of sugar in their vanilla extracts, and some use only a small percentage of sugar as a stabilizer.
Premium vanilla extracts are made from the finest ingredients, contain few, if any, additives, and are naturally aged. To meet FDA standards, pure vanilla extract must contain 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon and 35 percent alcohol during extraction. They will keep indefinitely as long as they’re stored in a cool, dark place.
Imitation vanilla is made from artificial flavorings, mostly wood byproducts, and often contains chemicals. Discerning palates find imitation vanilla products to have a harsh quality with a bitter aftertaste. Twice as much imitation vanilla flavoring is required to match the strength of pure vanilla extract.
Vanilla flavoring is usually a combination of imitation vanilla and pure vanilla extract.
All three types of vanilla beans are equally good to use. Their flavors, however, are quite different. I suggest you experiment to determine which flavor you like most or choose the vanilla that best pairs with the food or beverage you are preparing.
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator
Sources:
Email: nfs@uwyo.edu
Extension Educator:Vicki Hayman – (307) 746-3531
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For more information, contact a University of Wyoming Nutrition and Food Safety Educator at nfs@uwyo.edu or Ask an Expert.
Extension Educator: Vicki Hayman – (307) 746-3531
Issued in furtherance of extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kelly Crane, Director, University of Wyoming Extension, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming Extension, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071.
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