Madagascar Vanilla Bean Sugar & Cream for baking

Beanilla was having a HUGE sale on their vanilla beans, so I snatched up a ½lb of Madagascar beans this week.  Seriously, the BEST investment I've made for my baking in a long time.

These beans are so fresh, so moist, and so full of great vanilla flavor...  I really can't wait to use them in EVERYTHING for the next few months.  I just hope that ½lb was enough!

First thing I made took me no time at all.  Vanilla Sugar.  Seriously, get some vanilla beans and make some of this yourself.  It takes 2 minutes and your sugar will thank you!!

Vanilla Sugar
airtight container
5lb bag of sugar
2 Madagascar vanilla beans, split length wise

1. Empty the bag of sugar into the airtight container.
2. Add the two vanilla beans to the sugar.  Put the lid on and shake until the beans are covered in sugar.
3. Let the beans hangout over night in the sugar.
4. Take the lid off, smell, taste, enjoy!  You now have vanilla sugar!

NOTE:  You can just keep adding sugar to the container as you go through it as well as any other used vanilla bean husks as you bake.  Just take the old ones out when they're all dried up.  You can used the dried up beans in milk/cream to make vanilla cream! Nom nom nom.

And then I made Vanilla Cream.  You can use this cream in place of any recipe that calls for milk or heavy cream.  It will add such a rich, delicious vanilla flavor to whatever it is you're baking.

You could also use it as coffee creamer.  Nom nom nom

Vanilla Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Madagascar vanilla bean

1. Split the vanilla beans open length wise using a sharp knife.  Scrape out the vanilla bean paste from inside the pod.
2. In a small heavy bottomed pot, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla bean pod and paste.
3. Cook on LOW for about 10 minutes, whisking often.
4. Increase heat to medium until the milk just begins to simmer and bubble.  NOTE:  You don't not want it to reach a full boil or burn.  Just a nice, slow simmer.
5. As soon as the milk begins to bubble up, remove it from the heat and whisk.
6. Allow to cool to room temperature.
7. A film may form on the top of the cream, just whisk it until it's smooth again.
8. Remove the vanilla bean pod if you're going to use all the cream immediately.  If you plan to store the cream for later use, leave the bean in the cream until you're ready to use it.