Vanilla sugar. Vanillin - what is it? Differences from vanilla and vanilla sugar

27.09.2019 Snacks

Vanillin and vanilla sugar are powders that are made up of many ingredients. The main aroma and taste is given by natural vanilla contained in small quantities. Vanilla itself is a very expensive seasoning, but in order to use its beneficial properties, smell and taste, which improve the aroma of rich dishes, vanillin and vanilla sugar were made from it available for our table. You can also make vanilla sugar with your own hands.

Types of vanillin

There are several types of vanillin. One of them is crystalline. It has a real vanilla aroma. Crystalline vanillin retains its beneficial properties for a long time, even after high processing temperatures. It is used for baking, making confectionery and ice cream.
There is a kind of powdered vanillin. It is smaller, contains more different enhancing additives and has a pungent odor. This type of vanillin is suitable for making chocolate. The aroma of such vanillin is already felt at room temperature. It dissolves more easily in water. Such vanillin can have a variety of berry and fruit aromas.
Liquid vanillin is a mixture of vanillin dissolved in alcohol. It is used to make drinks, confectionery and dairy products.

How is vanillin used?

Vanillin is used in perfumery, liqueur making and cooking. In cooking, vanillin should be used in such an amount that depends on the cooking time of the dish, the cooking temperature, and the consistency of the dish being prepared. Too much vanillin can add bitterness to the dish. When preparing rich flour dishes, vanillin is usually chosen with a high temperature resistance. Vanillin is added to these dishes while mixing all the dry ingredients of the dish. Or they can be added at any stage of preparation, having previously been dissolved in fat.

Usually 4 to 9 grams of vanillin are added per 1 kilogram of dough. When making chocolate, vanillin is usually used in the form of crystals or powder. If you want to enhance the flavor of products containing a dairy base, use vanilla in liquid or powder form. Here, for 1 liter of food, 0.5 to 2 grams of vanillin and vanilla sugar should be used.

Vanillin action

Vanillin dissolves well in alcohol, hot water and ether.
Vanillin is used to enhance the aromas of dishes, flavor ingredients.
It helps to hide or soften the undesirable flavor in the dish.
The aroma of vanilla stays on the hair and skin for a long time, having a soothing effect.
Vanillin gives soft taste and pleasant aroma to drinks. It can be used to improve the aroma in the house.

What is Vanilla Sugar?

Vanilla sugar is nothing more than mixed vanilla pods with sugar or powdered sugar. Sugar takes over all the smell of vanilla, and then vanilla is removed from it. It is more convenient for use in culinary production, as it contains practically no additives. If vanilla sugar is stored for too long, the vanilla smell may evaporate. It is used for the preparation of cream, creams, fruit compotes, dairy dishes. Vanilla sugar is very suitable for muffins, cocktails, coffee. It must be added at the very end of cooking so that its aroma does not disappear too quickly.

How to make vanilla sugar with your own hands?

You can make vanilla sugar yourself. To do this, take 1 kg of sugar, icing sugar and 1 natural vanilla pod. Try to buy only the longest pods. They are considered the most valuable. Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise. Take out all the seeds, they need to be crushed in a mortar and add powdered sugar there. After mixing, pour the mixture into granulated sugar, mix again and put the pod there. Vanilla seeds can be added directly to cream or cream, and only a pod can be used to make vanilla sugar. Store the resulting sugar in a tightly closed jar in a cool dark place. Leave it to sit for 4 days and enjoy real vanilla sugar.

How to make Vanilla Muffins?

Take 400 g pancake flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 250 g sugar, 150 g butter, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of vanilla sugar, 2 eggs and 0.5 sour cream. Combine flour, baking soda and sugar. Melt the butter and pour in there too. Add eggs, vanilla sugar and sour cream. Mix all this carefully. The dough needs to be divided into paper forms, you get about 14 pieces. Bake them at 180 ° C for 15 minutes, until they turn golden brown.

Why are vanilla and vanilla sugar good for you?

Vanilla with its scent has a calming effect on the body. The smell of vanilla will help in the treatment of some serious diseases. It will tame anger, eliminate feelings of anxiety and irritation. The smell of vanilla is able to relax, help with insomnia, relieve anxiety, have a stimulating effect on the body and lift your mood. Vanilla, which is the main constituent of vanillin and vanilla sugar, is an antioxidant, antidepressant and anti-carcinogen.

Vanilla sugar can be replaced with vanilla essence (instead of 20 g of vanilla sugar, 12.5 g of vanilla essence will be required) or vanilla extract (10-15 g of vanilla sugar will replace 1 teaspoon of the extract). But if you do not have any of the above at hand, you can generally ignore vanilla sugar as an ingredient: the dish will work without it, however, it will not please with a subtle vanilla aroma.

Which is better to buy: vanilla, vanilla or vanilla sugar?

If you bake something at home or make desserts at least occasionally, you probably buy vanilla, vanilla sugar or vanilla. Or just thinking about it for now. How do these supplements differ from each other? What to buy and what not to buy? Let's take a look, smell and decide - all in one small article!

Vanilla - This is a wonderful plant, the pods of which have an amazing aroma, and therefore are very highly valued. I think that at least once in your life you have smelled natural vanilla or products that included it. Well, if not, then I strongly advise you to buy and try. Natural vanilla has only one drawback: it is very expensive. A bag with a vanilla pod weighing 2-4 grams costs 70-100 rubles! Typically, vanilla can be found in mid-range supermarkets and above.

Vanillin is the main component of vanilla, responsible for the characteristic "vanilla" aroma. Roughly speaking, it is a concentrated aroma of the very essence of vanilla. Of course, it can be obtained from natural vanilla, but then it will cost a lot of money. Therefore, vanillin is usually synthesized in laboratories. And it is called a flavor identical to natural vanillin. However, vanillin is not always labeled as “flavor identical to natural” in the sold sachets. Sometimes you can read "ethylvanillin", which is essentially the same thing.

It is worth noting one more feature of vanillin: it is a very "strong" additive. The recommended dose of vanillin per 1 kilogram of dough is only 1 gram. If you add it too much, then baking will have a specific bitter taste, and the aroma can become frankly intrusive. Well, in creams and desserts that are not baked, crystalline vanillin is generally not recommended to be added.

Where the best option would be vanilla sugar.

Vanilla sugar can be obtained in two ways. First, mix natural crushed vanilla with sugar or powdered sugar. Secondly, mix artificially obtained vanillin with sugar. Vanilla sugar made with the second method is more common and cheaper. But the first option is worth buying: with natural vanilla. A bag of such natural vanilla sugar costs 25-40 rubles for 10-15 grams. The most common brands producing this supplement are Dr. Oetker, Kotanyi. At the same time, Dr. Oetker also has a budget option, with vanilla instead of natural vanilla.

Vanilla sugar has a relatively low concentration of vanilla, so it can already be used in noticeably larger quantities than vanillin. On the other hand, it ends pretty quickly. And here we come to another option - homemade vanilla sugar.

It is quite possible to make it yourself from purchased pods of vanilla. From one vanilla pod, you need to thoroughly clean the contents, add it to a couple of tablespoons (about 40 grams) of sugar or (better) powdered sugar and leave in a closed container for a week. If you want a more intense concentration, you can use more vanilla or less powder. If less intense, add more powder.

Composition, calorie content and elements of vanilla sugar. Useful properties and contraindications for use. How to make vanilla sugar without additives at home and what can replace it? History of occurrence and methods of application.

The content of the article:

Vanilla sugar is a sweet aromatic powdery substance with a specific odor. As a rule, the purchased product is made from granulated sugar (powdered) and vanilla powder. The latter is made from unripe fruits (pods) of some plants of the genus Vanilla (Vanilla), which grow in places with hot and humid climates - Madagascar, Mexico, China, Indonesia and Central America. The fruits themselves are odorless before being treated with hot water and then wool. Vanilla pods, suitable for cooking, should be soft and elastic - cracked fruits no longer have the same smell that is so prized in confectionery. Typically, vanilla sugar is quite expensive due to the difficulty of growing vanilla fruit. There is a cheaper substitute for vanilla sugar - vanillin.

The composition and calorie content of vanilla sugar

Vanilla sugar contains more than ten different elements and vitamins, as well as a unique combination of chemical "odorous" compounds.

The calorie content of vanilla sugar is 398 kcal per 100 g of product, of which:

Proteins - 0 g;
Fat - 0 g;
Carbohydrates - 99.5 g;
Dietary fiber - 0 g;
Water - 0 g.

Microelements per 100 g:

Copper - 8.5 mcg;
Manganese - 0.0272 mg;
Zinc - 0.013 mg;
Iron - 0.298 mg.

Macronutrients per 100 g:

Potassium - 20.32 mg;
Calcium - 4.13 mg;
Magnesium - 1.42 mg;
Sodium - 2.01 mg;
Phosphorus - 0.7 mg

Vitamins and amino acids per 100 g:

Thiamine - 0.001 mg;
Riboflavin - 0.011 mg;
Pyridoxine - 0.003 mg;
Vitamin PP (Niacin equivalent) - 0.0502 mg;
Pantothenic Acid - 0.004 mg

Certain chemical compounds are responsible for the unique and pleasant aroma of vanilla sugar:

Glycoside glucovanillin - when processing fresh vanilla pods, it breaks down into glucose and a free odorous aldehyde - vanillin.
Anise alcohol - being released, forms anise aldehyde, which smells like hawthorn flowers.
Cinnamaldehyde - Most often, it is found in the greatest amount in cinnamon and cassia oil.
Heliotropin - has a heliotrope smell, intermediate between vanilla and cinnamon. Also present in lilacs.

Vanilla sugar is quite high in calories, but it is used in cooking only in small portions, so you can safely include it in your diet menu.

The health benefits of vanilla sugar

The vanilla powder found in vanilla sugar has many health benefits. So, the use of baking with it in the morning brings the body into tone and improves mental performance. This is due to the fact that vanilla powder will speed up the metabolism.

The benefits of vanilla sugar and foods containing it:

Relieves irritation and stress... There is a whole list of confectionery products that can help fight stress, but vanilla sugar is one of the leaders on this list.
Prevents obesity... Thanks to the special combination of flavoring substances and essential oils, after consuming vanilla sugar, appetite is significantly reduced: at the chemical level, the cells that stimulate it are suppressed.
Reduces the risks of diabetes... The powder contained in vanilla sugar speeds up all metabolic processes in the body, which reduces sugar levels, which cannot be said about sweet products using ordinary sugar.
Powerful antioxidant... Vanilla sugar neutralizes some free radicals, which protects against several forms of cancer, including cervical cancer.
Improves Digestion... Vanilla essential oils have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, accelerating its function.
Helps Fight Sickle Cell Disease... Substances in vanilla sugar partially prevent sickle-shaped cells from forming as a result of this rare genetic disease.
Neutralizing blood alcohol... If you consume products with a high content of vanilla sugar or a high concentration of vanilla powder itself, then alcohol is neutralized in small quantities, often a state of alcoholic intoxication. It has also been proven to have an effect on alcohol dependence - in some cases to complete alcohol aversion.
Anesthetic effect... Small amounts of vanilla sugar can be consumed during menstruation to reduce pain and improve overall well-being.

Vanilla sugar, even with prolonged heat treatment, retains its properties, releasing essential oils into the air if it contains natural vanilla powder. They have a small degree of natural antidepressant and aphrodisiac effects on unsuspecting housewives.

Harm and contraindications to the use of vanilla sugar

Of course, if you consume vanilla sugar in moderation, then it is quite difficult to harm the body, except when it is contraindicated. We'll look at both options below.

Consequences of abuse:

Digestive problems... Vanilla sugar is a spicy food containing essential oils that can negatively affect the stomach and intestines in large quantities.
Allergic reactions... Vanillin, which is part of vanilla sugar, is one of the strongest allergens along with citrus fruits. Excessive use can lead to allergic reactions, which are accompanied by a skin rash, developing into eczema or dermatitis.
Dizziness... Vanilla sugar can lower your blood pressure, which, if initially low, will cause dizziness and nausea.

During pregnancy, vanilla sugar should be consumed with extreme caution and in small portions, or abandoned altogether: the risk of allergic reactions and dizziness increases.

Absolute contraindications for consuming vanilla sugar:

Allergy - especially often manifests itself with constant contact with the product, for example, if you work as a pastry chef.
The age of up to three years is the greatest susceptibility to allergic reactions.
Exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - worsening of the condition.

It should be noted that the harm of vanilla sugar is manifested quite rarely, which cannot be said about counterfeit products. Counterfeits can adversely affect both the nervous system and the digestive system. Counterfeit products contain synthetic substitutes for vanilla powder, which sometimes contain an incompatible, and sometimes hazardous to health, composition of aldehydes.

If we compare the harm and benefits of vanilla sugar, then obviously the beneficial properties outweigh. Observing some rules and restrictions on its use, you can enjoy this product without harm to health.

Vanilla Sugar Recipes

There are a lot of dishes using vanilla sugar. As a rule, these are cold and hot confectionery. It is used both as an additive in the cooking process and in ready-made dishes, including as a powder.

In addition to vanilla sugar, which is notable for its undemocratic price, there is a synthetic substance - vanillin. It differs in that it does not have such a bright and pronounced smell, it is very easy to find it on the shelves of our stores, and the price is pleasing to the eye. However, initially vanillin was used only on an industrial scale: vanilla sugar and, moreover, pure essence or powder is much more expensive than a substitute.

For home cooking, it is better to use vanilla sugar, since it fully reproduces the above useful properties, when cooking at home it is consumed sparingly, which makes the price acceptable for the unique taste and aroma of baked goods. The best vanilla sugar is made independently: it does not lose its aromatic properties during transportation and sale.

Homemade vanilla sugar recipes:

Recipe number 1... Take out all the seeds from one large "correct" (we talked about suitable for cooking vanilla pods at the very beginning) vanilla pod, grind or grind in a mortar until a paste is formed. Grind 1 kg of sugar into powder, mix thoroughly with the resulting vanilla mass. Store in a tightly closed glass jar along with the emptied pod.
Recipe number 2... Pour 0.5 kg of sugar (powdered sugar) into a glass jar with a tight lid, place 1-2 vanilla pods there, leave for a week, stirring occasionally. Sugar in a jar can be replaced several times, then until the vanilla loses its flavor - up to six months.

Here are some delicious vanilla sugar recipes:

... Boil semolina porridge from 250 grams of semolina, 1 liter of milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Put the thickened porridge and cool, stirring without fail. Beat 2 eggs and 3 tablespoons of sugar until fluffy. Put the resulting slightly warm porridge, add 2 tablespoons of soft butter, a pinch of salt and 3-5 mg of vanilla sugar there. To stir thoroughly. Grease a baking dish with butter (margarine) and sprinkle evenly with semolina, shake out the excess, turning the dish over. Put the resulting mass in a mold, smooth, bake at 180 degrees until the mass hardens.
Custard... Almost all custard recipes contain vanilla sugar or vanillin. Mix 4 tablespoons of flour with 100 ml of milk until all lumps disappear. While stirring, pour in another 300 ml of milk, add 200-250 grams of sugar. Cook over low heat in an enamel bowl until the cream acquires the consistency of sour cream. Let the cream cool, add butter (100-150 grams) whipped with a pinch of sugar and vanilla sugar to taste. Beat until smooth.
Banana Pancakes... Mix 500 ml of milk, 250 grams of sifted flour, 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1 pinch of salt, a flat teaspoon of vanilla sugar and 1 egg into a lump-free pancake dough. Grind 2 bananas without peel in a blender until puree, put in the dough, mix well again. The dough should be fairly thick. Fry in a hot frying pan, greasing it with butter, turning the pancakes until dark golden brown. The pancakes should be at least 2 mm thick.

Above we have already talked about which compounds are responsible for the smell of vanilla, but there is one interesting fact: heliotropin, which has a high concentration in vanilla, can be isolated by some chemical operations from black pepper, although it does not even have a flower smell!

However, the Aztecs did not use black pepper as currency in ancient times, but vanilla. In the 16th century, vanilla was first tasted by Austrians, Italians and Spaniards, much later, from the beginning of the 19th century, and in other European countries. At first, Europeans used it in the same way as the Aztecs. Not as currency, but as a spicy addition to drinks, for example added to cocoa. Later they began to flavor tobacco and use it in culinary baking.

Vanilla is very difficult to grow, as you have to manually pollinate the flowers, but only fifty percent of them are tied to the fruit. This led to the first experiments in the mid-19th century with the creation of artificial vanilla. I must say that the experiment was a success, only artificial vanillin was superior in price to the real one. Later experiments were resumed, and it was possible to find successful ways of producing vanillin, first from clove oil, and then from one of the components of pine wood oil. But artificially created vanillin cannot even be compared with real vanilla: the smell of real vanilla is much subtler and more pleasant.

What to cook with vanilla sugar - watch the video:

Vanilla sugar appeared in Europe almost simultaneously with vanilla itself, since it is bitter, and this greatly limited its use. It immediately gained well-deserved popularity among the population: the essence and extract of vanilla lost their smell when cooked. So in our time, vanilla sugar is used in the preparation of many sweet dishes, giving them a unique festive and cozy aroma.

Distinctive properties of vanillin

Crystals are called that exude vanilla aroma. They are colorless and have a needle-like structure. It can be both natural and synthetic. Since the process of obtaining vanillin from vanilla pods is very expensive, its cheap, artificially obtained analogue is often used.

For the first time, synthetic vanillin was obtained as a result of the synthesis of guaiacol at the end of the 19th century. Later, the substance began to be produced from lignin, a by-product of the pulp and paper industry. The second technology allows you to get a richer bouquet due to the admixture of apocinin, although simple wood or paper is taken as a raw material.

A synthetic analogue is considered a flavor identical to a natural one. Its main advantage is its low price, which made it possible to use the spice in the mass production of confectionery and bakery products, as well as in perfumery and in tobacco business.

The spice counterpart has a bitter and sharper taste than real vanilla. It is released in the form:

crystals, then the spice is the maximum possible concentration. In this state, the substance retains its aroma for a very long time, excellently withstanding even heat treatment. Crystals have a pronounced specific taste, so they are added in a strictly defined proportion and only in baked goods;
powder, that is, vanillin mixed with powdered sugar, which can be seen in industrial packaging in any spice department;
, which is obtained by diluting the substance in vodka. In liquid form, the spice is used in perfumery, when impregnating cakes, but it is strictly forbidden to expose it to heating.

Distinctive properties of vanilla sugar

Interestingly, vanilla sugar can be obtained both using an artificial analogue (vanillin) and using natural vanilla pods.

How to make according to the traditional recipe:

granulated sugar or powdered sugar is placed in a glass jar with a tight lid;
one that has passed the fermentation process is taken, that is, dark brown or even black, which has retained its elasticity, and is completely immersed in the sand;
the lid closes tightly;
the jar is placed in a dark place for two weeks;
at the end of this time, the pod is removed.

The energy value of such a product corresponds to the energy value of simple sugar. After all, in fact, vanilla sugar is simple sugar that has simply absorbed the essential oils secreted by the vanilla pod.

There is another way to get this product:

sugar is poured into a glass container with a tight-fitting lid;
fruits are cut lengthwise and black grains are cleaned out of them;
the seeds are ground into powder and mixed with sugar;
the skin is finely chopped and added to the mixture;
the contents of the jar are mixed well;
the mixture should be kept in a dark place for 4-5 days.

This method of cooking spices requires proportions: 1 pod is taken for 1 kg of sugar.
In industrial production, another, less expensive method of obtaining vanilla sugar from vanillin is more popular. Instead of natural vanilla, ethyl vanillin is added to the mixture.

Vanilla sugar is a mixture of vanillin with granulated sugar or powdered sugar.

So what is the difference between vanilla and vanilla sugar?
Natural raw materials are used in the production of vanillin. The chemical formula of vanillin is the same both for a substance of natural origin and for its artificial analogue.

However, the aromatic bouquet of a vanilla pod is not only made up of the scent of a single component, vanillin, but of more than 400 different components.

What to choose for yourself: vanillin or vanilla sugar? Both products are perfectly suitable and safe for home use. The natural fruits of vanilla give a sense of familiarity with haute cuisine, although few professional tasters will be able to distinguish the taste of a dish prepared using natural vanillin from one to which an artificially obtained seasoning has been added.

Vanillin - what is it? Are vanilla sugar and vanillin the same thing?

The sophisticated taste of vanilla ice cream, liqueur, milkshake or cake cream becomes softer and more refined, and the unique aroma of fresh pastries will be even richer when vanillin is added to these dishes during cooking. What is it, why are confectioners and ordinary housewives so fond of it? This issue should be well understood in order to learn how to apply all the useful properties of the product in practice.

Vanillin owes its unusually spicy aroma to the fruits of a plant native to South America. Vanilla is a relative of the orchid, grows on vines and has yellow-white flowers. After they have faded, green pods remain, on which white crystals form when they dry. This is the real natural vanilla.

The first mentions of it are associated with the Aztec tribes. The Indians added a spice to their traditional drink, hot chocolate. The first European to taste vanilla was Christopher Columbus. It happened at the beginning of the 16th century. Since then, the spice has come to Europe and has become widely used in cooking.

The collected green vanilla pods are odorless. And only after drying in a certain way they acquire a refined spicy aroma, exquisite taste and brown tint. The drying time for vanilla fruit takes about a month. And you can understand that the pod is dry and ready to use by the appearance of slightly noticeable white crystals on its surface. Dried natural vanilla can retain its beneficial properties, taste and aroma for 30 years.

Natural vanilla pods are a very expensive spice that could not be used in the production of confectionery and bakery products on an industrial scale. Therefore, already at the end of the 19th century, its artificial analogue called vanillin was synthesized. What it is?

Vanillin is a flavor identical to natural. These are white crystals artificially obtained in the laboratory. At the same time, wood or paper is most often used as raw materials for the production of vanillin. This spice has a rich bitter taste and not as refined aroma as natural vanilla. But at the same time it is inexpensive and therefore it is used in industrial production in this form.

Unlike artificial flavoring, vanilla sugar can be more natural. It is made by mixing vanilla pods with regular sugar or powder. The vanilla is left in sugar for a while, then removed - and the flavored sugar is ready. But sometimes manufacturers try to reduce the cost of a product, this primarily affects its quality. In this case, not natural vanilla is added to the sugar, but an identical natural flavoring - ethyl vanillin.

The product in question is crystalline, powdery and liquid. The scope of its application depends on the state of this spice.

Crystalline vanillin is the most aromatic and retains a spicy smell for a long time, even after heat treatment. It is used in baking bakery and confectionery products. It is a food supplement with a pronounced strong taste. That is why it is recommended to add crystalline vanillin only when baking.

Powdered vanillin resembles powder in structure. It has a sharper odor, contains artificial flavor enhancers, and sometimes even fruit flavors. Easily soluble in water. It is used in the preparation of hot chocolate and various drinks.

Liquid vanillin is produced in the form of a fragrant essence. What it is? It is an alcoholic solution that is used in cooking, perfumery, and in the preparation of drinks.

Vanillin has a calming and relaxing effect, which is why it is often used in home and car fragrances.

Vanillin is traditionally used in cooking. But when preparing a dish, it should be borne in mind that this is a spice with a pronounced taste. That is why it is important not to overdo it so that the culinary masterpiece does not become bitter.

Synthesized artificial vanillin has a very rich flavor. One 1 gram sachet will be enough for 1 kilogram of flour. When using vanilla sugar, the proportions are slightly different. In this case, for 1 kilogram of flour or 1 liter of liquid, take a sachet weighing 8-10 grams. When preparing drinks, milkshakes, or ice cream, it is best to use liquid vanillin. What it is? This is a vanilla essence or extract. It is enough to add 1-2 drops of liquid vanilla to the dish, and it will acquire a pleasant spicy aftertaste.

How to replace vanillin? If you want to get a refined soft taste of natural vanilla, then you should give preference to vanilla sugar.

Often, when preparing a dish, in order to obtain a good result, it is required to hide or remove an unpleasant aftertaste, as well as to give the product a unique aroma. In this case, the vanillin flavoring agent will come to the rescue of the hostess. It dissolves well in a liquid medium, alcohol and water, and it is in this state that the aroma of vanilla is revealed more fully. In addition, the spicy scent has a calming effect on the body, helps to relax and lift your mood.

If vanillin is obtained in a laboratory artificially, then vanilla sugar can be made independently at home. To do this, it is enough to take 1 long vanilla pod, 1 kilogram of granulated sugar, a little powder.

To prepare vanilla sugar, the vanilla pod is cut in half lengthwise, the seeds are removed, ground in a mortar to a powder state and mixed with powdered sugar. After that, the resulting mixture is combined with sugar, a vanilla pod is added there and everything is sent together to a dark place for storage for 3-4 days. After the indicated time, the food supplement is ready for consumption.

One vanilla pod will be enough to get the aromatic sugar, and the seeds can be used to make some dessert.

Unfortunately, the natural flavor cannot be stored for a long time due to the fact that the pleasant smell quickly disappears. To keep the aroma longer, add it to the dish at the end of cooking.

Before buying a flavoring supplement, you should know how to distinguish a natural product from one synthesized in the laboratory. Indeed, in fact, vanilla sugar and vanillin are one and the same, the only difference is in the way they are prepared. Of course, vanillin can be obtained from natural raw materials, but it is almost impossible to find such a product on the shelves in stores.

When buying vanillin, you should carefully read the inscription on the label. If the composition of the product contains a flavor identical to natural, or ethyl vanillin, then this product has been synthesized in a laboratory. It is usually packaged in sachets of 1 gram. It is this aromatic additive that is most often used by confectioners when baking due to its low price. One packet of vanillin costs about 3 rubles.

Vanilla sugar is sold in sachets, packaged in 8-15 grams. As part of such a food additive, sugar, as well as crushed seeds of vanilla pods or ethyl vanillin, must be indicated. The latter variant has the same qualities as artificial vanillin. The price for it ranges from 8-10 rubles. Vanilla sugar with a natural vanilla aroma is more expensive - about 30 rubles per bag weighing 15 grams.

When preparing a culinary masterpiece at home, it is better to give preference to a product with a natural composition, and leave artificial substitutes for mass production.

More information

Vanilla, vanillin and vanilla sugar