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Vanilla, an essential ingredient for countless baking recipes, is explored in this article. Learn what vanilla is and the variety of delicious dishes you can create with it alongside Mytour today!
1. What is Vanilla?
What exactly is Vanilla? Known as the second most expensive spice after saffron, vanilla is a familiar ingredient in the baking world, enhancing sweetness and aroma in desserts.
Vanilla is extracted from the vanilla bean, a member of the orchid family, requiring 6-9 months to harvest. The labor-intensive and challenging production process makes vanilla a premium ingredient.
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2. How Many Types of Vanilla Are There?
There are primarily two types of vanilla: powdered and liquid forms.
Powdered Form
- First up, vanilla powder, known as the most common and readily available type. This powder is usually stored in small tubes and utilized in daily food preparation.
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- Vanilla sugar: This form of vanilla is less common than powder, primarily used in chocolate production, and thus, more often found in large manufacturing settings.
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Liquid Form
- Firstly, vanilla essence, also known as synthetic vanilla liquid, is not pure vanilla but a blend with other chemicals (safe for health). This form is more common internationally than in Vietnam.
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- The second type is vanilla extract, also known as vanilla oil. This is a 100% pure extract from vanilla beans, soaked in water and alcohol. It's a premium product, thus more expensive and harder to find in Vietnam, usually available through imports.
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3. What Are the Uses of Vanilla?
Vanilla's purpose is to enhance the flavor and aroma of food, making dishes more appealing and stimulating to the palate. It also plays a role in the preparation of beverages such as cocktails, tea, coffee, etc.
Vanilla is recognized for its health benefits, acting as an herbal remedy to alleviate stress and nervous tension, provided it's used in the correct dosage.
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4. What Dishes Use Vanilla?
Due to its fragrant properties and unique benefits, vanilla has become an incredibly popular ingredient in creating a variety of flavorful dishes.
Vanilla Ice Cream
Vanilla is key to the ultimate summer treat, a creamy and sweet vanilla ice cream that quenches any thirst. Created with vanilla powder, whipping cream, and condensed milk, you can also customize it with various flavors like strawberry, cheese, chocolate, and add toppings for an extra touch of beauty.
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Vanilla Cake
Vanilla cakes stand out as a top choice for those craving vanilla delights. Ingredients like eggs, milk, flour, cornstarch, sugar, whipping cream, and, of course, vanilla are essential. The delicious, creamy flavor of vanilla cake is sure to melt the hearts of sweet tooths.
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Vanilla cream puffs
Small, lovely bite-sized cream puffs are a perfect pick for home cooking. With ingredients including vanilla, milk, salt, sugar, butter, flour, and eggs, their soft exterior and rich, sweet interior are guaranteed to win over any palate, even the most discerning.
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Additionally, vanilla enhances a variety of dishes such as Waffles, fruit plates with vanilla ice cream, coconut jam, sautéed bananas with a passion fruit vanilla sauce, vanilla ice cream cookies, and young chicken egg cakes.
See more: Top 3 innovative young chicken egg cake recipes for home cooks
5. What are alternatives to Vanilla?
Essentially, vanilla cannot be directly replaced by other common ingredients. Although it's used to enhance sweetness and aroma in baking, overusing vanilla powder or extract can result in bitterness. A useful tip for vanilla enthusiasts is to use the powder made from vanilla pods sparingly to avoid this issue. However, these dry fruits can be quite hard to find in regular stores.
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6. Where to buy Vanilla?
As a staple in baking and cooking, vanilla is in high demand. It can be easily purchased at markets, supermarkets, and for a more straightforward search, specialty baking supply stores are recommended.
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7. Key Points on Using Vanilla
Here are essential tips for using Vanilla you should be aware of:
- Chemical-based vanillas can be harmful to infants, liver, and kidneys, so use them sparingly
- There are many fake vanilla powders on the market that are very cheap but harmful to health. Be an informed shopper and opt for products from reputable websites or stores, even if they may be slightly more expensive
Through this article, you've gained insights on what vanilla is and the delicious dishes you can create with it. Blog Mytour wishes you success in the kitchen and enjoyable moments savoring delightful meals with family and friends. Stay tuned to our page to not miss out on the latest information and recipes!
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