From milkshakes and ice cream to pavlova and slices, when people think of vanilla, they think of their childhood. But what is vanilla, and why is it so popular?

What is vanilla?

Vanilla comes from the fruit of the vanilla orchid, a plant native to Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. The vanilla bean grows within that flower, slowly evolving to create a unique compound known as vanillin. This flavour is the predominant component of vanilla, and it is what gives vanilla that distinctive, well, vanilla-ish taste. 

Where is vanilla grown?

Originally cultivated by the indigenous Mayan people of Central America, vanilla is now grown in many tropical regions across the globe. Today, the country of Madagascar produces the most vanilla, growing more than 80 percent of the world’s vanilla beans. 

Why are vanilla beans so expensive?

The process of cultivating vanilla beans is intricate and time consuming. Since much of the world’s vanilla is now produced outside of Mexico, the vanilla orchid flowers cannot be pollinated by the Melipona bee – the only insect that evolved to pollinate the vanilla orchid. The absence of this Mexican bee means that the flowers must be pollinated by hand, an extraordinarily slow process. This contributes to a highly labour-intensive and costly process for vanilla producers, with these costs ultimately passed on to the consumer. 

What does vanilla taste like?

The taste of vanilla is hard to explain. The presence of vanillin, the primary compound responsible for its flavour, imparts a sense of warmth and depth to a dish. Ultimately it tastes a little sweet and creamy, with floral notes and a hint of spice.

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What’s the difference between vanilla extract, vanilla essence and vanilla bean paste?

It’s a common question. When scouring through your next cookbook, you’ll likely come across all of these in the ingredients list. But they’re not the same thing. Vanilla extract is a natural product that is made by soaking vanilla beans with water and alcohol. The result is a strong vanilla concentrate that has a deep, complex flavour profile. 

Vanilla essence is an artificial product made using several chemically produced ingredients. While cheaper in price, this product is usually weaker in taste and smell, also producing a slightly different flavour profile to the real deal.

Vanilla bean paste is a blend of vanilla extract, vanilla bean seed powder and sugar. It’s a great substitute for using vanilla beans – one teaspoon equals one vanilla bean.

So which should I use?

Vanilla extract should be used when it’s an essential ingredient that’s required for the flavour of the dish – for example, when making vanilla-flavoured recipes such as cupcakes and biscuits. Like vanilla extract, the strong flavour of vanilla bean paste makes it the go-to ingredient when you’re wanting vanilla to be the star flavour of your recipe. 

But you can use vanilla essence when the dish isn’t expected to have a noticeably big vanilla flavour. So, for example, when cooking baked goods like chocolate-chip cookies or carrot cakes. 

You can also opt for the vanilla pod and seeds. Split the pod and scrape the seeds out with a knife. You can also use the pod itself to infuse milk or cream (just be sure to strain the out before serving), or pop your pods in a jar of sugar for a vanilla-flavoured sweetener.

What dishes can I cook with vanilla?

You can’t go past the classic Aussie favourite, vanilla slice. You could also try this vanilla & lemon custard with panettone crumble, or bake up a batch of this delicious burnt honey & vanilla shortbread. Want more? Check out these 28 dessert recipes that prove vanilla can be anything but boring.

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