Use for empty vanilla beans?

[arielleeve]

Just made a recipe that called for the seeds of two vanilla beans. Does anyone have suggestions for ways to use the empty pods? I know vanilla sugar is an option, any other thoughts?

[sparkareno]

Thanks to another thread on here, I now make my own Greek yogurt. I put an empty vanilla bean in the milk when I am heating it. Just gives it a lovely subtle flavor.

[HillJ]

Allow them to really dry out and then put them through a grinder to create vanilla bean dust. You can add the dust to coffee beans, cakes, muffins, cheesecake crust, breads, you name it.

[sancan]

I double-dip on this idea and put them into sugar to flavor the sugar. I usually forget they're there, and then the vanilla bean completely dries out in the sugar. So I get the vanilla sugar and the vanilla bean dust. A two-fer!

[HillJ]

two-fer, love that, sancan! This morning the vanilla bean dust was in the maple syrup, the waffles, my coffee and the rest will be headed into a bundt cake (have you seen that amazing CH thread) for later.

[kattyeyes]

I just put the bean right into the maple syrup container. Mm-mmm-mmmm!

[HillJ]

Lovely! This morning I warmed the maple syrup in a small pan and sprinkled in the vanilla bean dust. We like our syrup warm around here but your method is super quick!

[kattyeyes]

My maple syrup is in a glass maple leaf-shaped container...easy to heat up right in the micro. ;) ETA: And now I'm craving waffles or french toast...thanks a lot!

[HillJ]

Oh sure, blame a fellow vanilla bean lover...as if you're countless and energized recipes haven't made my stomache growl mid morning, HA!

[sedimental]

Put them in 100 proof vodka! Vanilla vodka is wonderful....or concentrate it in small containers and use it as vanilla extract.

[L987]

put them in ur sugar and u get vanilla sugar (u can mix it in a mixer if u want)

[soupkitten]

you can reuse vanilla beans a few times, the flavor they impart just gets a little weaker each time. when you've had enough of that, *then* stick them in the sugar, or some good dark rum :)

[chefathome]

Add them to homemade vanilla extract or make a vanilla bean simple syrup which is lovely drizzled over fruit.

One thing I have not tried yet is this, vanilla bean infused honey. What a brilliant idea!
http://ohhmay.com/2010/05/04/decadent...

[escondido123]

If you were going to make some kine of custard, I'm sure you could steep them in the milk for a great vanilla flavor. But I vote for the vanilla sugar for long term benefit.