Quirky Cooking Organic, Rainforest-Grown Wild Vanilla Beans (5 Premium 15-17cm Beans)

Add a burst of flavour with Wild Vanilla Beans!

Wild Vanilla is a family-owned, organic vanilla farm nestled under the rainforest canopy close to where I live, in the Atherton Tablelands of Far North Queensland. The vanilla beans are hand-pollinated and harvested, then cured for a few weeks in a carefully controlled environment, resulting in premium-quality vanilla beans. 

You’ll be blown away by the flavour of these vanilla beans – I have never smelt or tasted any others this good!! (And I have used a LOT of vanilla over the years, from many different brands!) 

Scroll down for ways to use vanilla beans in your cooking!

How to use Wild Vanilla Beans:

Split the bean lengthwise with a sharp knife, then leave it to 'air' for ten minutes before scraping the seeds from the bean. The flavour will develop when exposed to air and are at their best after 10 minutes. Use 2-3cm of a vanilla bean (split & seeds scraped) instead of 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Use 1/2 a vanilla bean (split & seeds scraped) instead of 1 teaspoon vanilla powder. Add the seeds to the recipe in place of the vanilla powder. If the recipe calls for the vanilla powder to be added to a dry mixture (such as flour or sugar), mix the vanilla bean seeds into the dry mixture. If the recipe calls for the vanilla powder to be added to a liquid (such as milk or cream), add the split vanilla bean pod and seeds to the liquid and let it infuse for a few minutes. Ways to use vanilla beans:

• Baking: Vanilla beans can be used in baking to add a deliciously complex flavor to cakes, biscuits, and other baked goods. Add the scraped seeds or whole vanilla bean to the recipe.
• Infusing flavor into liquid: Vanilla beans can be used to infuse flavor into liquids such as milk, cream, or syrup. To do this, split the vanilla bean lengthwise, wait ten minutes then scrape out the seeds with a knife. Add the seeds and the empty pod to the liquid and let it simmer for a few minutes until the flavor has infused.
• Homemade vanilla extract: Vanilla beans can be used to make homemade vanilla extract. All you need is a glass jar, vodka, and vanilla beans. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the empty pod to the jar and cover with vodka. Let it sit for a few weeks until the vodka has taken on the vanilla flavor.
• Flavouring beverages: Vanilla beans can be used to flavor beverages such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Simply add a piece of vanilla bean (split in half) to the liquid and let it steep for a few minutes.
• Savory dishes: Vanilla beans can also be used to add a subtle flavor to savory dishes such as roasted meats or vegetables. Add a split vanilla bean to the marinade or rub to infuse the dish with flavor.