Mizmun Makes: Vanilla Rum/ Vanilla Extract

This week I infused some rum with vanilla beans. I did this for two reasons with the first being to make some rum that is infused with vanilla. The second is to have a supply of homemade vanilla extract for baking cookies. Infusions are really easy to do so long as you are being smart and planning ahead before you need the infusion. basically you need at least a weeks time for the infusion with longer periods of time causing more intense flavors.

Vanilla White Rum

great for a added flavor to your mixed drinks especially things like rum and coke.

Ingredients:
12 oz. White rum
1 Vanilla bean
some patience

Instructions:
Cut vanilla bean down the center and peal back the bean exposing the insides (for the first timers it looks like fine black dirt).
Place the bean in a glass bottle that is larger than 12 oz. and can seal.
Pour white rum in the bottle and seal.
Store in a cool dark place.
Shake rum everyday for a week or until the rum has reached desired infusion level.
Strain to remove bean and seeds from rum.

Suggestions:
Try it with cinnamon sticks, coffee beans, cocoa beans (for a chocolate flavor), nutmeg. or whatever spices you want to combine with rum. You can even make your own spiced rum.
Try using other types of rum.

Day 1 the bean is cut down the center, halved, and in the rum.

After the first day before shaking.

Day 3 the dark eye is just a trick of the light

Strained with vanilla extract to continue its journey

Trying it out on the rocks

White Rum Vanilla Extract

great for adding different flavors in cookies and other baked goods

Ingredients:
12 oz. 70 proof White rum
1 Vanilla bean
a lot of patience

Instructions:
Cut vanilla bean down the center and peal back the bean exposing the insides (for the first timers it looks like fine black dirt).
Place the bean in a glass bottle that is larger than 12 oz. and can seal.
Pour white rum in the bottle and seal.
Store in a cool dark place.
Shake rum everyday for a week.
continue to store in a cool dark place shaking once per week for 6 months.

Strain to remove bean and seeds from extract.

Suggestions:

You can try Adding a cinnamon stick, nutmeg, or other spices to add additional flavors if you have a specific recipe in mind otherwise it would be a good idea to just have it as is to keep it as versatile as possible.

Special Notes:

This style of vanilla extract can have a higher alcohol concentration (~70 proof) than store bought vanilla extract (unless it says pure which needs to be 70 proof by law)

also with the extended period of time infusing flavor I would highly recommend not drinking this and instead only use it for baking.

Day 1