Ambitious Deliciousness – Dont Eat Lazy.

Thank you for all of your comments on the previous post! As promised, here is the recipe for the double vanilla cupcakes.

These cupcakes are called double vanilla because real vanilla beans are used in both the cake and the frosting. Using vanilla can be annoying, especially when you’re trying to take a picture at the same time. However, it is more than well worth the effort! If you look closely, you can see the little specks of vanilla. I’ve been thinking about using vanilla in a non-dessert way, so if you have any ideas, please do let me know!

With dark chocolate shavings

With sprinkles

With dried coconut flakes

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According to this informative article in Cooks Illustrated:

“Vanilla is a powerful ‘flavor potentiator,’ meaning it enhances our ability to taste other foods including chocolate, coffee, fruit, and nuts, and boosts our perception of sweetness.”

This may be why vanilla extract is a staple ingredient in baked goods. The article goes on to say that real extract is recommended for cooking, and making cold creamy desserts, but that imitation may be an ok substitute for cookies (as extreme heat changes the taste).

(*Photo courtesy of Edmond H. Lee)

Natural vanilla extract can be expensive, so when I came across a blog post about it on Simply Recipes, I knew immediately that I wanted to give it a whirl.

I started out by purchasing two dozen Madagascar vanilla beans from Beanilla trading company, for about $1 each. The beans were vaccuum packed and fresh, and they taste great!

Once you’ve used up most of it, you can add more alcohol and vanilla beans to keep it going. You can use dark rum as well. This project takes about 4-6 weeks to make, but it is totally easy, awesome and delicious!

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