Never discard vanilla beans, for once you have extracted the flavorful seeds from the pods, they can always be used to prepare this quick vanilla sugar, which you can use in any desserts that call for sugar.
Makes 4 cups (800 g)
Equipment
A jar with a lid.
Ingredients
4 plump, fresh vanilla beans, or 4 pods with seeds previously removed
4 cups (800 g) sugar
Method
Flatten the beans and cut lengthwise in half. With a small spoon, scrape out the seeds and place them in a small bowl. Reserve the seeds for preparing any vanilla-flavored dessert. Combine the pods and sugar in a jar. Tighten the lid of the jar. Store at room temperature for 1 month for good vanilla flavor, topping off with sugar as needed.