Powdered Vanilla Bean

Slofoodgroup Team March 19, 2022

Is Powdered Vanilla Bean Made of Real Vanilla Beans? 

Wondering whether or not powdered vanilla bean actually includes vanilla beans is absolutely a legit curiosity. After all, there are so many artificially produced ingredients these days and the vanilla flavor is certainly no exception. We hold a firm belief that if you call something “powdered vanilla bean” it should include nothing more than 100% pure ground vanilla beans. 

Sadly, there are companies out there that are willing to call products something other than what they are. We get it, Powdered Maltodextrin with Traces of Vanilla Bean or Powdered Artificial Vanilla Flavoring Agent just doesn’t sound quite as appealing.  If you are a purist like us, though, you might want to check the ingredients of your product to determine whether the name of the product actually matches the ingredients included inside the packaging. 

You won’t catch many chefs using anything but the finest gourmet vanilla bean powder in their recipes, and that’s exactly what they find in with Slofoodgroup’s powdered vanilla bean options.

Regardless of where you source your pure powdered vanilla bean, though, you should expect to find a product rich in flavor and aroma. The profile of your ground vanilla beans should match that of the whole vanilla bean varieties included in the product’s listed contents. When you have found a good quality ground vanilla bean product, don’t hesitate to use it to add intense flavor and visual appeal to creams, sauces, sweets, and even savory items.

Vanilla powder can certainly be used in place of vanilla extract, vanilla paste, or whole vanilla in recipes. We love the option of vanilla powder because unlike vanilla paste and vanilla extract, it is not altered with additions of alcohol or sugar, which means you have more control over the moisture content and sugar levels of any recipe. 

Now that you have a better idea of what powdered vanilla bean is and how it should be used, we want to share one of our favorite savory recipes utilizing this phenomenal ingredient1

White Pepper and Vanilla Crusted Cod

Ingredients

• 4 ¾ pound cod filets
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1  teaspoon fleur de sel
• ½ teaspoon dried, powdered thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried, powdered allspice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
• ¼  cup almond flour
• ¼ cup rice flour
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon stone-ground mustard

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F
2. Whisk together your egg and mustard
3. Mix together all dry ingredients: white pepper, fleur de sel, thyme, vanilla bean powder, and almond flour. 
4. Dip each fish filet in the egg and then the dry ingredients.
5. Oil a baking sheet. 
6. Bake your fish for 25 minutes.
7. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Serve atop a bed of greens and alongside a simply-prepared starch like rice or pasta. We really love the pairing of this White Pepper and Vanilla Cod and Egg Noodles with Black Truffle.