We make vanilla paste with the Thermomix® because fresh pods go mouldy in the fridge before we get through them. Chopping six pods at once and preserving them with brown sugar is the only way to keep the seeds genuinely usable for months.
The paste is ready in 10 minutes and saves you from scraping each pod individually. One teaspoon is roughly equivalent to one small vanilla pod, and the seeds are right there whenever you need them.
Vanilla Paste and Extract with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 4 ✓
- 6 vanilla pods
- 150 g brown sugar
- 75 g water
- 10 g glucose syrup
Instructions 0 / 3
-
1
Prepare the vanilla pods.
Cut the vanilla pods into pieces of about 5 cm, place in the mixing bowl with the sugar and chop for 1 minute / speed 10.
-
2
Cook all ingredients.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 3 minutes / 80°C / speed 2.5.
-
3
Fill into jars.
Pour the vanilla extract into a sterilised screw-top jar and leave to cool.
Tip: Poured into pretty bottles or jars, this vanilla paste makes a lovely gift.
The high sugar content keeps the vanilla extract very well preserved. As it contains no alcohol, it works perfectly for family recipes too.
Nutrition per serving
Why speed 10 is essential for the pods
The vanilla pods must be chopped at speed 10, not speed 7 or 8. The pods are tough and fibrous, and only the high speed breaks them down enough for the seeds to combine fully with the sugar. At a lower speed, fibres remain in the sugar and the paste turns out coarse rather than smooth.
We cut the pods into pieces of about 5 cm beforehand. This makes the job easier for the blades and stops long fibres from wrapping around the blade unit. One minute at speed 10 is then enough to pulverise the pods completely.
Brown sugar binds the flavour, glucose prevents crystallisation
The brown sugar is not a matter of taste but a preservation choice. It draws moisture from the pod pieces, releases the seeds, and ensures the paste turns out creamy. White sugar also works technically, but the paste stays drier and the flavour is less intense.
The glucose syrup serves a second purpose: it stops the sugar from crystallising as it cools. Without it, the paste turns hard and crumbly after a few days. The 10 grams are enough to keep the texture soft and spreadable without making the paste too runny.
Why 80°C is the right temperature
The mixture is heated to 80°C, no higher. At this temperature the sugar dissolves completely and the ingredients come together into a smooth paste. Higher temperatures would cause some of the essential oils in the pods to evaporate, making the flavour flatter.
The 3 minutes at speed 2.5 ensure everything heats evenly without the mixture burning on the bottom. Once cooked, the paste must be poured into jars straight away so it does not set in the mixing bowl.
Sterilising the jar is essential
The screw-top jar must be sterile, otherwise the paste can go mouldy despite the high sugar content. We boil the jar in simmering water for 5 minutes and leave it to dry on a clean kitchen towel. Alternatively, you can sterilise it in the oven at 100°C for 10 minutes.
Pour the hot paste directly into the hot jar, seal it, and leave it to cool upside down. This creates a vacuum that extends the shelf life. In the fridge the paste keeps for several months, and at room temperature for at least 6 weeks.
How to measure and use the paste
One level teaspoon of vanilla paste replaces one small vanilla pod. Stir the paste directly into cake batter, pudding, or creams. For drinks such as advocaat or rice pudding, mix the paste with a little liquid before adding it so it distributes evenly.
The black specks from the vanilla seeds remain visible and show that real vanilla was used. This is not a flaw but a sign of quality.
How long the paste keeps in the jar
The paste keeps very well thanks to the high sugar content and the glucose syrup. In the fridge it stays fresh for 4 to 6 months, and at room temperature for at least 6 weeks. Once the jar has been opened, always store it in the fridge and use a clean spoon to scoop out the paste.
If the paste becomes a little firm after longer storage, warm it briefly or stir with a spoon. The texture will become smooth again.
How other recipes approach this
Many guides cook their paste with brown sugar, water, and glucose syrup up to 100°C to achieve a honey-like consistency that keeps for several months. Other recipes make a pure vanilla extract by steeping pods in high-strength vodka or rum and leaving them to mature in a dark place for four weeks to three months. We combine both approaches: we grind the Bourbon pods completely with sugar, then gently cook the paste with a little liquid at speed 2, rather than boiling it hard. This preserves the delicate flavour, requires no alcohol, and the paste still keeps for many months in the fridge.
