Vanilla Sugar

Sucre vanillé, originally uploaded by Sara?.

Ashers mom called this morning requesting to know how, exactly, to make vanilla sugar. And since it is listed in a few of my recipes I thought it wise to post the "recipe" directly on the blog.

Vanilla sugar is extremely easy to make and can be used in a variety (if not all) of your baked goods. The longer the vanilla sugar sits, the stronger and more flavorful it will be. In my opinion, it gives things a touch of elegence. For example, throw a tablespoon in your next batch of whipped cream, or a dash in your coffee, for a subtle, yet delicious substitute for normal sugar. And telling your guests that the whipped cream has been sweetened with vanilla sugar will generally impress them all the more!

To make vanilla sugar:

Ingredients:

1-2 cups granulated white sugar (depending on how intense you want the vanilla flavor to be)
1 vanilla bean

Directions:

1. Pour your vanilla sugar into a jar.
2. Scrape most of the beans out of the pod, into the sugar, and stir with a spoon.
3. Place entire scraped bean into the jar and sugar.
4. Store in a cool, dry, dark place (your cupboard) for weeks, up to months. Remember, the longer it sits, the stronger it gets!

So simple, so elegant, so fun!
Enjoy!