Types of Vanilla Beans (2024)

FAQs

Types of Vanilla Beans? ›

The three most common types of vanilla beans are (regardless of where they are grown): Madagascar, Mexican and Tahitian. Madagascar is typically described as smooth and creamy (it's what I use and tend to favor). Mexican is described as 'smokey' and Tahitian as more floral.

There are three main species of vanilla that are produced commercially. These include vanilla planifolia, vanilla tahitiensis, and vanilla pompona. Each species has unique characteristics.

Generally speaking, for longer-timed baking projects including making vanilla extract or vanilla sugar, Grade B can be a good choice. For shorter-timed stuff including culinary use, such as dinner or desserts, Grade A beans will be much the better option.

Mexican vanilla beans, from the genus planifolia, have a reputation for being the best vanilla beans in the world – vanilla did originate in this area so you shouldn't be surprised. Mexico actually had a monopoly on vanilla beans until the 1800's explorers started exporting them to other countries.

Grade B vanilla beans, on the other hand, are considered 'extract-grade beans', and they are primarily used in making vanilla extract. They are also used in baking and cooking, but they are not recommended for high-end desserts or dishes where the vanilla flavor and appearance are the main focus.

This is a great option if you don't want the addition of an extra flavor. You could also use a nice brandy too! I use a mix of Madagascar Vanilla beans and Tahitian Vanilla beans so I would cover a wider range of flavors and feel like my extract would be perfect both in baking but also in something like a pudding.

Madagascar vanilla has a full bodied, rich flavor and aroma, while the Tahitian bean is delicate, floral, and fruity. Both are delicious, so why choose between them? With our Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean with Tahitian Vanilla Seeds Compound, you can have the best of both worlds!

Authentic Tahitian vanilla is consistently the most expensive vanilla in the world.

Kerema Papua New Guinea (PNG) (Tahitensis family)

These beans are of the highest quality and boast one of the most bold, floral and sweet tastes of all vanilla beans. They are dark, rich in oils and have a predominately strong vanilla aroma and taste when used in your extracts.

Mexican vanilla is cheaper, has a strong flavor, and it has 'FDA Approved' on the label so I know it's not that stuff that tourists buy,” or, “I get vanilla made in Mexico from a local distributor or online. Its 2 or 4 times stronger and cheaper than other vanillas.

What is the best alcohol to make vanilla extract? ›

Use either. 80 proof Alcohol: Vanilla extract is most commonly made from vodka, but you can use bourbon, brandy, or rum instead. I usually use vodka, but the one bottle of bourbon vanilla I made 7 months ago is DIVINE. No need to splurge on expensive alcohol.

But BEWARE the trap of buying flavored vodkas for vanilla extract. They don't always marry well with vanilla beans and the result can be disheartening. Stick with plain Smirnoff and you'll do just fine. Ciroc - A five-times distilled French vodka will deliver a beautiful, pure extract.

Beans you've already used in a batch of extract can be reused in the next batch. When I siphoned off the vanilla extract from my 18 month batch, almost all of those beans went right back into the jar for the next batch. I simply added a few new beans to punch up the flavour.

Although it is not native to the country, vanilla produced in Madagascar is considered the gold standard. Vanilla grown outside of its native Mexico must be pollinated completely by hand during a five- to six-hour window of blooming.

Pure vanilla is made with the extract of beans from the vanilla plant. Mexican vanilla is frequently made with the extract of beans from the tonka tree, an entirely different plant that belongs to the pea family. Tonka bean extract contains coumarin.

Madagascar leads the pack, with Indonesia in second place (while Indonesian vanilla comes from the same plant, it is said to have a smokier aroma and taste than creamier, sweeter Madagascan and Mexican vanilla).

Vanillin is the source of the floral flavor that we know as vanilla. Interestingly, most of the world's vanilla comes from Madagascar. What we call vanilla "beans" are actually the pods from a vanilla plant that contain tiny seeds inside them. Vanilla bean is also a flavor.