Mexican Vanilla Extract: Nestle Toll House Recipe

First off, I did a search in the cooking forum for anything like "baking questions that don't deserve a new thread" and came up blank. If an answer comes up, this thread should be deleted.

Second, I'm a backyard griller for the past 30+ years and a bbq/smoker guy added on for the past 15.

I have baked, off and on, for the past 30 as well, but by baking I mean, turning on an oven, following a recipe, and sometimes the product comes out as it should. I am NOT a baker.

Anyway, the pre-holidays are upon us, and we are exploring sides, desserts, main dishes etc, coming from a typical anglo South Side origin as well as the bride's Filipina side.

Enough already with the background!

So I'm going through the cupboard and looking what we need for T-Day, as I want to get it now, as next week will be a madhouse at the shops.

With all the empanada's, pork bbq sticks, turon, turkey, stuffing, etc fixings, I see we have plenty of makings for cookies to lead up to the holidays (Christmas cookies is a different subject).

My daughters (1 mine Americano Mutt, 3 Mestizo from previous marriage) were all for helping out with the family cookie project.

We grabbed the bag ot Tollhouse chips and saw what we had. We had everything with the exception of vanilla per se. I also mentioned that we could always use the pan receipe to make a full half sheet pan and the kids looked at me like I was nuts. (my take on that is there is so much sensitivity to allergies and such in school these days, no one brings in cookie bars)

So we assemble everything and dig around for the vanilla.

Can't find any standard vanilla, but do find a bottle of Penzey's Mexican Vanilla

General Question: has anyone used this or something similar for regular baking?

The Penzey's Mexican Vanilla looks to be like any other but has a 35% alcohol content (70proof).

Now I know the baking at 350* would burn it off, but I wanted to know about taste. Did it still taste like vanilla in a cookie?

Yes, I acknowledge I could go buy a new bottle of regular vanilla extract, but thought I would seek out the opin from some very seasoned experts in the baking world.

Apologies for my ignorance....

Thank you,

I think what you have is going to be just fine. It will probably have a slightly different flavor/aroma than what you might normally use -- and was almost assuredly more expensive -- but in the end it's essentially the exact same product with the origin of the vanilla beans that were used to make it declared.

=R=

Thanks Ronnie,

It was the 35% alcohol statement throwing me off, but for all I know the McCormicks version is also sold in a similar state but just not stated.

I can't tell you how much the quick response helped us.

If you'd like to delete thread to reduce the overhead clutter, feel free.

Have a great holiday, Sir

No worries at all. We can leave the thread here for future reference.

From the CFR:

(a) Vanilla extract is the solution in aqueous ethyl alcohol of the sapid and odorous principles extractable from vanilla beans. In vanilla extract the content of ethyl alcohol is not less than 35 percent by volume and the content of vanilla constituent, as defined in 169.3(c), is not less than one unit per gallon. The vanilla constituent may be extracted directly from vanilla beans or it may be added in the form of concentrated vanilla extract or concentrated vanilla flavoring or vanilla flavoring concentrated to the semisolid form called vanilla oleo-resin.

So, it's possible that the McCormick product might even have a higher alcohol content but it cannot legally be labelled as extract if it contains less than 35% alcohol. Nor can it be labelled as vanilla extract if it contains less one unit of vanilla per gallon. So it's possible that the Penzey's product contains more than that but for purely economic reasons, that's pretty unlikely.

Enjoy!

=R=

And once again, LTH comes through in Spades. The added info on vanilla extract was appreciated.

Yes, its the internet and everyone can find stuff, but I would have stumbled to look for an hour and bam, its right here.

Again, thanks.

Willkat98 wrote:And once again, LTH comes through in Spades. The added info on vanilla extract was appreciated.

Yes, its the internet and everyone can find stuff, but I would have stumbled to look for an hour and bam, its right here.

Again, thanks.

My pleasure. We use CFR 21 quite a bit at work, so I already had it bookmarked.

=R=

Speaking of Penzey's, we haven't used their vanilla but since we're up in Kenosha quite a bit we stop by their store occasionally, and it's always a great experience. Damn good spices--believe it or not, my favorite is the Frozen Pizza Seasoning!

Penzey's Spices
11880 74th Pl A
Kenosha, WI 53142

(262) 857-4737

FWIW, this is what the Nielsen-Massey website has to say about its vanilla:

Madagascar Bourbon:

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract is the perfect all-purpose vanilla for its flavor and consistency in both hot and cold applications.

Mexican Vanilla:

A rich marriage of sweet and woody notes, the Mexican vanilla flavor profile has a deep, creamy, spicy-sweet character, similar to clove or nutmeg. Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract’s unique flavor profile means it works especially well with chocolate, citrus fruits, cinnamon, cloves and other warm spices. The vanilla’s spiciness complements chile peppers and tomatoes, smoothing out their heat and acidity.

Tahitian:

Tahitian vanilla’s flavor profile is floral, fruity and often described as anise- and cherry-like. Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract is best used in refrigerated and frozen foods, where it adds a delicious and delicate vanilla flavor.

We just toured a vanilla farm in French Polynesia. They recommend that you make your own. Start with the seed (including the pod) chop it up finely (or more traditionally use a mortar and pestle) and then combine it with vodka, rum or other alcohol and let it steep for an undisclosed (or unremembered) period of time. I would think that vodka would give a cleaner vanilla taste, and rum could be delicious but not as pure a flavor.

They made a big deal of differentiating between "extract" and "infusion".

The closet definition of "extract" I can find is:

to separate or obtain (a juice, ingredient, etc.) from a mixture by pressure, distillation, treatment with solvents, or the like.

and "infusion is:

a liquid extract, as tea, prepared by steeping or soaking.

So, on the surface it sounds like when you infuse something it really just is steeping or soaking, which is the process they described, while extract[ion] involves force or pressure and/or some treatment with solvents or other agent.

I'm not convinced that in real life they aren't both pretty much the same process.

Just to chime in here -- i love the Penzey's Mexican Vanilla -- I have a bottle in my house which I reserve for special things. For ordinary vanilla use -- and I bake a good deal -- i usually have mccormick's. It's so freaking expensive these days that I applaud using what you have while you have it.
I've always wanted to try vanilla paste and Penzey's makes one but it's been really cha-ching ($$$) each time I've been there so I've not tried it.