Extracts

 Artificial flavoring can ruin just about anything you put it in. Why use something that is actually labeled artificial?!? I learned my lesson when making marshmallows a few years ago. I wasn't at home, had to use what was in the cupboards and there it was ... definitely impure, fak-nilla. My mallows turned out tasting like plastic and we ended up throwing the whole batch out! So the moral of the story is to always use 100% pure extract! You can easily buy this at the grocery store, but I found a really fun way to make it at home. Ina Gartin does it with Vanilla and I found a recipe that Alton Brown uses for Coconut.

Vanilla Extract

Ina's Recipe:

12+ Vanilla Beans

1 Bottle Vodka 

 I use smaller bottles, so I use less vodka, start with 2 to 4 vanilla beans and add more when I get the chance. Over the next few months you will notice your vanilla getting darker and darker. You can keep it forever, adding more vanilla beans and vodka as you use it.  

Coconut Extract 

Alton's Recipe:

1 1/2 ounces freshly grated coconut, approximately 1/3 cup

4 ounces vodka

 Alton's recipe uses a food processor to finely grate coconut, but I just scraped and peeled the coconut right out of the shell. It saved me time and the hassle of cleaning another appliance. I also used more coconut and more vodka in mine. Plus the longer it sits, the better it will get. 

Note: Some of you might ask... what would I even use this extract in? Well many things, including my Coconut Pecan Scones!