Vanilla sugar can be used in most any recipe you use white granulated sugar in to add a hint of vanilla.
Years ago I "discovered" vanilla sugar at my local spice store. As I am neither Lewis or Clark, discovered is a relative term, I can't claim to have even discovered the spice store I was in. I consider it one of the downsides of the modern era that there is very little left to discover that does not involve copious amounts of math and sciences. If we could rewind a few hundred years to when discovery required hiking and a journal I'd.....still not be allowed because women had no rights, but I would have at least had the right skill set.
Vanilla sugar was the first flavored sugar that I ever tried or cooked with, and it remains a favorite. I keep a small bottle at work for my pomegranate tea, and a large bottle at home for baking. Like with most things, buying the sugar from a spice shop soon seemed unreasonable. Why pay for someone to do what I can do myself?
The first attempt was bland. I just pulled an Alton Brown recipe of the web. The "add one vanilla bean to two cups of sugar" recipe was ridiculous. Simple is only okay when it has acceptable results. This was not. Started hunting around, found another that was one bean to one cup.....better....but lacking still. So, what do you do when even Epicurious fails you? Strike out on your own to "discover" something better.
The idea is simple: 1:2 was pathetic, 1:1 was meh, so 3:1?! Finally! I hope you enjoy this vanilla sugar! It can be used in most any recipe you use white granulated sugar in to add a hint of vanilla. Enjoy!
Vanilla Sugar
3 high quality vanilla beans
1 cup white sugar
Split the vanilla beans and cut into one inch pieces. Combine in a food processor with one cup of sugar. Pulse until the vanilla beans are thoroughly mixed in.
Pour the mixture into an air tight jar. Allow to sit for two weeks.
Strain the sugar through a fine sieve to remove large fibrous pieces of vanilla bean. Return the vanilla sugar to the air tight jar. It is now ready to use for baking or teas.
