My family and I love to bake together. I try to always have a batch of lemon and vanilla extracts to use in my baking. It is unbelievable the difference your baked goods will taste using homemade extracts. Now, I know that it may seem intimidating to make, but TRUST ME…they are SO easy to make and you will question why you have been buying the store bought stuff all these years. These make wonderful hostess gifts, teacher gifts or just because I was thinking of you gifts. I use a Monica Potter Home barn box to present them in. I also do the same with my Infused Olive Oils. Perhaps, a barn box with a mixture of the two homemade gifts would be nice. Happy baking.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED:

• (Vanilla Extract:)
• 1 cup vodka
• 8 vanilla beans, split in half
• (Lemon Extract:)
• 1 cup vodka
• Peel of 5 lemons, ALL pith removed

For the Vanilla Extract:

Place the split vanilla beans in a jar.

Pour the vodka on the beans-ensuring that the beans are completely submerged in the vodka.

Seal the jar and store in a cool dark place. Allow at least 2 weeks to steep. Remember to gently shake the bottle every other day or so, to get things nice and mixed up.

After 2 weeks time, strain the beans and Store it at room temp and out of direct sunlight. Enjoy.

For the Lemon Extract:

Peel the lemon skins from the lemon, making sure you don’t have any white pith on the peel (it will cause the extract to taste bitter.)

Place the peels in a jar.

Pour the vodka on the peels-ensuring that the peels are completely submerged in the vodka.

Seal the jar and store in a cool dark place. Allow at least 2 weeks to steep. Remember to gently shake the bottle every other day or so, to get things nice and mixed up.

After 2 weeks time, strain the peels and Store it at room temp and out of direct sunlight. Enjoy.