The short answer: split the bean lengthwise with a small, sharp knife, scrape out the seeds with the back of the blade, and add both the seeds and the empty pod to whatever you're making. Then rinse and dry the pod and use it again.
What you need
- A small, sharp knife
- A chopping board
- One vanilla bean. Grade A gourmet beans are the easiest to work with, because they're soft and full of seeds.
Step by step
- Flatten it. Lay the bean on the board and press it flat with your finger, so it doesn't roll.
- Split it. Hold one end and run the tip of the knife down the middle, from end to end. Cut through the top layer of skin only, not through the back.
- Open it. Gently pull the two halves apart. You'll see a dark, sticky paste of tiny seeds, often called caviar.
- Scrape it. Run the back of the knife along each half, pressing lightly, to collect the seeds.
- Use it. Add the seeds to your recipe. If you're heating a liquid, such as milk or cream for custard or ice cream, add the empty pod too, then remove it before serving.
If your bean feels dry
Drier beans, like Grade B, can be stiff. Soak the bean in warm water or milk for 10 minutes before splitting it, and it will soften enough to scrape.
How much to use
One bean usually flavours about 500 ml to 1 litre of milk or cream, or a standard batch of cake or cookie dough. In most recipes, one bean is roughly equal to 2–3 teaspoons of vanilla extract or paste.
Don't throw away the pod
The empty pod still has plenty of flavour. Rinse it, let it dry, then:
- Make vanilla sugar. Push it into a jar of sugar and leave it for a week or two.
- Infuse again. Steep it in warm milk, cream or syrup.
- Add it to extract. Drop it into a bottle of homemade vanilla extract.
- Grind it. Dry it completely, then blitz it into a fine powder for baking.