Vanilla Powder

Vanilla pods (new or spent)

1. Prep the beans: Slice your whole vanilla beans lengthwise. There is no need to scrape out the seeds; you will use the entire pod.

2. Dry them out: Arrange the sliced beans in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 150°F to 170°F (65°C to 77°C) for 1 to 2 hours. They are ready when they are completely hard, brittle, and snap easily in half.

3. Cool completely: Let the beans cool to room temperature. They will get noticeably crunchier and more brittle as they sit.

4. Pulverize: Chop the dried beans into 1-inch pieces. Place them into a clean coffee or spice grinder and blend on high until they form a fine, dark-brown powder.

5. Sift: Pour the powder through a fine-mesh strainer to catch any remaining woody pieces. Re-grind those leftover bits if needed.

To use in recipes:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = ½ teaspoon pure vanilla powder

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract = ½ tablespoon pure vanilla powder