VANILLA
(Illicium verum)
You can absolutely pinpoint the date when the first European was able to appreciate the taste of vanilla. This happened on September 14, 1502 on the territory of the modern state of Nicaragua. Christopher Columbus tasted vanilla during his fourth and final voyage in search of a route to India. Vanilla was present in a cup of chocolate that was presented to Columbus by the local ruler. It must be said that this was a great honor for him, because only the rulers of the Aztecs consumed chocolate. Chocolate beans served as money. The slave cost only twenty of these grains, which shows how expensive the chocolate drink was at that time. Vanilla had the most direct relation to it: both the Aztecs and Europeans used it to straighten and improve the taste of chocolate. The Spaniards brought a new drink to Europe. Vanilla arrived along with the chocolate. Soon these two products became very popular throughout Europe. (The spice, new to Europeans, was called “vanilla”. The word comes from the Spanish Venilla, which in turn is a diminutive form of the Spanish version of the Latin word Vagina and reflects the shape of the plant’s seed capsule.)
In 1602, Queen Elizabeth I's court pharmacist discovered that vanilla could be used to flavor baked goods. Following this discovery, French aristocrats introduced the practice of smoking tobacco with the addition of vanilla. But perhaps most of all, what fueled interest in this tropical spice was the assertion of the German researcher Bizard Zimmermann that vanilla is an exceptionally strong aphrodisiac. Other medical luminaries of the 18th century discovered that vanilla can cure stomach ulcers, increase a person’s mental abilities, and be an excellent antidote.
Nowadays, some of these properties of vanilla make us smile, but this does not diminish the importance of vanilla as a spice.
Every year, 2,000 tons of vanilla are consumed worldwide. Madagascar confidently holds first place in the production of this spice, providing approximately 60 percent of the world's demand. More than 3/4 of Madagascar's vanilla is grown in the Antalaha prefecture, which is therefore the vanilla capital of the world.
Vanilla is also cultivated in Indonesia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Uganda, the Antilles, Mexico, Guatemala, and Reunion Island.
DESCRIPTION
Vanilla is the fruit of a climbing vine. Belongs to the genus of orchids. The liana has dark oval and spear-shaped leaves. It blooms with very beautiful yellow-green flowers collected in a brush. Flowers are short-lived: after opening in the afternoon, they close at night and never open again.
After flowering, fruits are formed - thin elongated boxes (pods) 16~30 cm long, having a cylindrical triangular shape with a width of 7 to 10 cm. Towards the end the fruit narrows, forming a pod.
Vanilla fruits are picked while still unripe and subjected to processing, after which they become the spice that we know and use, which we love for its persistent smell and unique sweetish aroma.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. HEALING PROPERTIES.
Vanilla contains the aromatic substance vanillin aldehyde (1.5-3%), balsam, resins, sugar, fat, etc. It is used as a typical essential oil plant.
TASTE QUALITIES. APPLICATION.
Turning vanilla beans into a spice is not an easy process. In order for vanilla to smell, the fruit must be processed. This processing pursues two mutually exclusive goals. On the one hand, it is necessary to dry the pod in order to prevent it from rotting in the humid tropics. On the other hand, it is necessary to retain moisture in the pod so as not to affect the diastases that produce vanillin. For a whole month, the vanilla farmer relies only on his intuition to prepare a good-quality product.
The pod-pods are picked immature so that they do not have time to open. By this time, they do not emit a smell at all, which is considered vanilla. Freshly picked pods are dipped for 3 minutes in water heated to 70°, then wrapped in woolen blankets and taken into the house. A day later they are taken out into the sun for exactly an hour. The next day they will be taken out into the sun for one hour and ten minutes, the next day - for one hour and twenty minutes, and so, adding ten minutes every day, they will be dried for a month.
Only after such processing does vanilla acquire a specific subtle sweetish and refreshing aroma, a spicy, bitterish taste and its characteristic brownish color. Finally, the vanilla is dried in a well-ventilated area until a white coating appears on the pods. During drying, the crop loses more than 2/3 of its weight, but acquires a smell.
Vanilla has always been and remains a commercial commodity. Its value depends on its quality. High quality vanilla beans should be soft, elastic, slightly curled, oily to the touch, dark brown in color with small, barely noticeable, white crystals on the surface. Any deviation from this standard reduces the value of vanilla. In international practice, there are 8 varieties of vanilla (exquisite long, fine long, quite fine, good, etc.).
The best is Mexican vanilla. Bourbon and Ceylon are less valued. Tahitian vanilla closes this row.
The best varieties of vanilla have a wonderful aroma. If stored properly, it can last for many years (over 36 years!).
Vanilla is used as a spice, mainly in confectionery. For convenience, it is processed together with sugar to produce vanilla powder. Naturally, it is inferior in smell. Without vanilla, it is unthinkable to prepare cakes, pastries, cookies, Easter cakes, sweet pies, puddings, and creams. Many other dishes - jelly, compotes, mousses, milk soups, sweet sauces, cocoa, chocolate - would also not be so tasty without the famous additive.
Vanilla is added to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It is widely used in the food industry for flavoring jam, ice cream, curd paste, cheesecakes, and processed cheeses.
Despite its wide range of uses, vanilla requires careful handling. It is introduced into the dough before heat treatment. It is added to some dishes after cooking while they are still hot. Excessive dosage will spoil the dish and give it bitterness. Vanilla syrup can be added to finished confectionery products.
CULTIVATION AND PROCESSING.
The plant is propagated by cuttings. From special plantations, vines are planted in a permanent place. All work on preparing spices is done manually. In order for the vine to unravel well and bear fruit, a dracaena tree is planted next to it or placed on a stand. And only in one place in the world, in Andapa, where vanilla grows at four hundred meters above sea level, does it not need trees for support.
An orchid blooms only for one day. Due to their bizarre structure, insects pollinate no more than 5 percent of blooming flowers. Most pollination is done by hand, which is directly related to the harvest. Pollination is mainly done by children. (The insects are bees from the genus Melipona, they live only in Mexico. Orchids are also pollinated by hummingbirds of a certain genus.)
SEE ALSO
Vanilla is a plant belonging to the Orchid family, a perennial vine. With its climbing stems with aerial roots, the plant clings to the branches and trunks of trees, and as the vine grows, it gradually moves towards the crown. Vanilla flowers are large, greenish-white in color, the bud opens only for one day, the flowers are pollinated by bees that live only in the plant’s homeland - Mexico. Today, vanilla is cultivated in the Caribbean; it is also grown in Madagascar, Sri Lanka and South America.
The plant is propagated by cuttings, which are planted near special artificial supports or small trees. Vanilla is pollinated artificially; the plant begins to bear fruit in the third year of life. Vanilla fruits - boxes-pods (length 15-25, width - 4-8 centimeters) are collected unripe, after which they are immersed in hot water for a while. This is done so that the fruits do not have time to open, then the raw materials are wrapped in a warm woolen blanket and left in this form for about 7 days. After all the procedures, the vanilla pods turn brown and acquire a unique aroma. But that’s not all, in addition, the fruits must be thoroughly dried; for this, the vanilla is left in the fresh air for a long period (1-5 months) until the pods are covered with a white coating.
The quality of vanilla fruits can be determined by the following characteristics: the pods should be elastic, soft, slightly curled, oily to the touch, color dark brown, barely noticeable white crystals on the surface are allowed. Vanilla is stored in a special sealed package. In such conditions, the aroma of vanilla can be preserved for many years. By the way, there are known cases of preserving the unique aroma of vanilla for 36 years.
Vanilla is usually ground into powder. The fruits of the plant are ground with sugar (1 pod per 0.5 kilogram). Nowadays, natural vanilla is increasingly being replaced with artificial vanillin, since it is much cheaper. However, the natural aroma of vanilla is, of course, much richer; in the artificial version, the natural balance of natural aromatic components is lost.
Natural vanilla has a bitter taste; before use, it should be ground with powdered sugar in a porcelain mortar (1 vanilla stick per 0.5 kilograms of sugar). A whole vanilla bean can be stored in the same jar with sugar. Vanilla will quickly permeate the sugar with its aroma, and it can be used for sprinkling confectionery products.
Vanillin is used to make puddings, pies, cookies, creams; it is ideal as an addition to cottage cheese and dairy dishes, and goes well with chocolate, milkshakes and other drinks. Vanillin is added to dough and other cake preparations, and it is used to flavor compotes.
Vanillin occupies an important place in the confectionery industry; it is often added as a flavoring additive to chocolate and candies. By the way, natural vanilla is obtained not only from the pods of the plant, it is formed in oak barrels in which cognac is infused. Vanilla is obtained through the enzymatic oxidation of coniferyl alcohol, which is present in oak staves.
Medicine and cosmetology are another area of application of this plant. Vanilla is also used in perfumery; this aroma adds oriental motifs to cosmetic products. Experienced fishermen say that chocolate with vanilla is an excellent bait for fish.
Composition and beneficial properties
Vanilla fruits contain glucovanillin, essential oils, glucoside, tannins and mucous substances. Glucovanillin breaks down into vanillin and glucose during fermentation. The main aromatic substance in vanilla is vanillin-4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, it contains from 0.75 to 2.9% (sometimes up to 12.5%).
Vanilla is widely used in folk medicine, it is recommended for fever, chlorosis, drowsiness, rheumatism, digestive system disorders, delayed menstruation and menopausal disorders, it is useful for nervous disorders and mental illnesses. Vanilla is considered a good stimulant and is used to increase muscle activity.
Vanilla is also used for cosmetology and aromatherapy purposes. The scent of vanilla restores appetite, soothes, relieves irritation and promotes mental comfort, and when applied to the skin, vanilla oil reduces irritation and inflammation, making it softer and more elastic.
Harm and contraindications
Vanilla essential oil enhances the effects of ultraviolet radiation, which should be remembered by tan lovers. It is also contraindicated during pregnancy, children under 3 years of age and in case of individual intolerance.
The homeland of vanilla is Central and South America. When Europeans tasted this spice, they wanted to cultivate it in other colonies with a suitable climate. The liana grew where it was planted and bloomed regularly, but no fruit appeared on it. Why - the Belgian botanist and gardener Charles Francois Antoine Morran found out in 1836. Vanilla is pollinated by stingless melipona bees (Meliponula ferruginea), which live only in Mexico; other insects cannot cope with this task.
Morran was the first to begin experiments on artificial pollination of vanilla. However, the method that was invented in 1841 by Edmond Albius, a 12-year-old black boy from Reunion Island, was widely used. The person playing the role of a bee uses a thin sliver to push back the membrane separating the anther from the stigma of the pistil (this membrane prevents the flower from self-pollinating), and then transfers the pollen to the pistil with his thumb. And so with every flower.
Pollination is just the first step. It is necessary to collect pods of a certain ripeness, but they do not ripen at the same time. They are placed in a hot oven or in water at a temperature of +63-65°C - this stops unwanted enzymatic processes. The pods are then wrapped in woolen cloth and placed in the sun for ten days in a row to warm them for a certain time (about an hour). Then they are slowly dried, and then white “frost” appears on them - vanillin crystals. It is formed from odorless glucovanillin, from which glucose is split off. And the aroma finally matures after a few more months of storage. It's clear why vanilla is so expensive.
As soon as organic chemistry became mature enough to be interested in phenol derivatives, chemists began trying to produce vanillin. In the 70s of the 19th century, several synthesis routes were proposed. The raw materials were chosen that were available in temperate latitudes: coniferine from coniferous plants, eugenol from clove essential oil, guaiacol - a product of dry distillation of wood.
Until the 20s of the 20th century, vanillin was made from eugenol, and then another method appeared, horrifying to death lovers of all natural things. During paper production, a by-product is formed - a brown liquid containing the product of the interaction of the wood polymer lignin and sulfurous acid. It was treated with alkalis and oxidizing agents, and vanillin was isolated and purified from the resulting substance (and if we look at the formula of lignin, we will understand where it came from).
Today, vanillin is obtained mainly from guaiacol, although the reactions are slightly different from those used in the 19th century. Production from pulp mill waste is losing popularity, but biosynthetic vanillin has appeared, which is made by bacteria. The French company Rhodia began selling such a product in 2000; the raw material for it is ferulic acid from rice bran. By the way, the synthesis of vanillin in vanilla pods also occurs through ferulic acid. Such a product can with a clear conscience be called a “natural flavoring,” but it cannot compete in price with vanillin from guaiacol.
The burning question: which vanillin is better? The American culinary magazine Cook's Illustrated in 2009 invited a group of tasters (obviously non-professional) to compare desserts with natural vanilla and synthetic flavors. In puddings and dairy desserts, vanilla had some advantage, but in baked goods there was no significant difference; moreover, cookies, which was baked in a hot oven with a high-quality synthetic flavoring, it turned out tastier, although on any culinary forum there will be experts who will say that those tasters are stupid and personally they can always distinguish real vanilla.
Chemists confirm: there is a difference. Natural vanilla, in addition to vanillin, smells of cinnamon esters, anise alcohol and aldehyde. Vanillin from lignin is acetovanilone (and some people like it that way). Apparently, this is why some people are allergic to synthetic vanillin, but calmly consume vanilla, others do the opposite, and still others become covered in a rash from vanillin of any origin. Let's not forget about artificial analogues of vanillin, for example ethyl vanillin - its smell is much stronger, which pleases manufacturers, but allergies can also occur to it.
Oh, and another wonderful thing: in 2007, Japanese Mayu Yamamoto received the Ig Nobel Prize in chemistry for extracting vanillin from manure. I don’t know if the Yamamoto process has found use. It seems to me that guaiacol is better.
Flavoring with vanilla is not so easy. There is no point in pouring crystals into cream or dough; it is better to dilute one packet of vanillin in 50 ml of vodka, and then pour the solution into cooled sugar syrup (400 g of sugar per glass of water) and use as needed.
You can buy vanilla extract - an alcoholic tincture of vanilla pods. Vanilla essence differs from vanilla extract in having a higher concentration of aromatic components.
If you have vanilla pods, make the extract yourself: four pods split in half per 100 g of vodka, two to three weeks in a cool place. Two pods, half a liter of vodka and a few hours - this is vanilla vodka for ladies and discerning connoisseurs.
One or two pods per half a kilogram of sugar in a tightly closed jar and one week (or longer) vanilla sugar.
And of course, the timeless classic - the pod, manually ground with sugar in a mortar.
Reference
Reunion Island is located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar. Belongs to France. The population is about 800 thousand people, mostly Creoles. Natural vanilla is still produced here in small quantities (tens of tons per year).
Vanillin production
A beautifully flowering vine belonging to the genus of orchids, with dark spear-shaped leaves and a yellow-green cluster of flowers that live only from noon to sunset - this is. But it became famous most of all for the pods that form after flowering. These vanilla fruits are picked unripe, and as a result of processing they produce the same spice vanilla, loved by us for its unique, persistent, enveloping aroma.
Until now, vanilla is considered one of the most expensive spices, which is due to the capriciousness of this crop, the need for artificial pollination, in which only half of the flowers produce pods, and the long subsequent processing of the pods themselves.
Vanilla composition
Vanilla fruits contain the aromatic substance vanillin (up to 3%), essential oil, balm, resins, sugar, fat, etc.
The benefits of vanilla
Vanilla has long been used in folk medicine to treat the following diseases:
- rheumatism;
- dyspepsia;
- fever;
- chlorosis;
- mental illness;
- nervous system disorders, anger;
- drowsiness.
The psycho-emotional effect of vanilla is known, which perfectly helps women endure their critical days.
Vanilla is present in almost all confectionery products, and its smell gives a feeling of security and comfort.
Vanilla also eliminates nervous rashes on the skin, increases its softness and elasticity.
The perfume industry cannot do without vanilla - oriental fragrances are simply not possible without it.
Properties of vanilla
In aromatherapy, vanilla essential oil is used to restore appetite. And it’s not surprising - you just have to imagine how you walk past the culinary department, where you smell vanilla, and your mouth fills with saliva...
In addition to increasing appetite, the aroma of vanilla brings a feeling of mental comfort and relieves irritation.
The cosmetic effect of vanilla is traditionally used in erotic massage mixtures as an additive in amounts of up to 20%. Vanilla has powerful regenerating properties due to its high content of non-saponifiable fats and essential fatty acids. Vanilla regulates the permeability of the skin barrier, increases skin firmness and elasticity, eliminates nervous rashes and has some whitening effect.
Vanilla oil has a tonic and normalizing effect on the digestive organs, has antiseptic properties, stabilizes the acidity of gastric juice, promotes the rapid breakdown of carbohydrates and their removal from the body.
Helps with an overdose of alcohol, and is even its antidote - causing a direct disgust towards it.
The use of vanilla is effective for colitis, intestinal colic, and diseases of the rectum.
Vanilla also normalizes the menstrual cycle, relieves premenstrual pain and the menopause.
Vanilla can be used to treat and prevent diabetes.
Natural vanilla, not vanillin, but the kind that can be purchased at markets - vanilla in pods, soft, dark brown in color, oily to the touch and slightly twisted. This vanilla can be used for erotic purposes of seduction. Grind into powder and add to the dish...
Vanillin is not suitable for this - its smell may be stronger than that of real vanilla, but it is made from coal tar and does not have any effects of vanilla.
Natural vanilla will not work either, but if purchased in powder form, ground spices lose their beneficial properties very quickly. For the same reason, do not buy open light pods.
Contraindications for consuming vanilla
Vanilla oil can cause an allergic reaction, so you need to be careful when using it. By the way, vanilla oil is often counterfeited.
After consuming vanilla essential oil, you should avoid direct sunlight for a couple of hours, because vanilla oil is a photosensitizer - it increases sensitivity to sunlight.
Vanilla essential oil is contraindicated for pregnant women and children.
Use of vanilla in cooking
We can say that this is the most subtle spice. The aroma of vanilla (and its substitute - synthetic vanillin) disappears quickly. These spices should only be stored sealed and added to the dish immediately before serving.
Unfortunately, natural vanilla is not often used now - it has been significantly replaced by cheap synthetic vanillin.
Only the most expensive sweet dishes and confectionery products - nut cookies, creams, ice creams, biscuit dough products - are flavored with natural vanilla.
If the product must be cooked, then vanilla must be added to the dough immediately before it. Or immediately after it - in jam, puddings, souffles, compotes.
Vanillin is usually added to sweet dishes such as puddings, soufflés, jellies, curd spreads, mousses and compotes, which affects the aroma. Vanillin must be added to curd pastes after preparation. Also in those products that require impregnation - cakes, biscuits, vanilla is added in the form of vanilla syrup.
Despite its sweet aroma, vanilla has a bitter taste, which is why it must be mixed with powdered sugar.
There is no need to exaggerate the norms for adding vanilla - they are relatively small.
How to make vanilla sugar
To prepare vanilla sugar, the vanilla fruit is split into two parts and placed in sugar in a glass jar. The jar should be tightly sealed and kept in a cool place. The sugar itself will be saturated with the strong smell of vanilla.
How to make vanilla extract
Vanilla extract is prepared using four split pods, placed in a bottle and filled with one hundred grams of alcohol. The liquid should completely cover the fruit. We seal the bottle and keep it in a cool place for about three weeks. Hindus use a traditional method - boiling chopped vanilla fruit in milk.
If vanilla is stored properly, it can retain its scent for almost forty years. The best varieties of vanilla have the most magnificent aroma.
Vanilla recipes
Mexican chocolate
Ingredients:
- seeds of two vanilla pods;
- 3 tablespoons of cocoa;
- 200 ml of boiling water;
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper;
- sugar or honey to taste.
You need to mix cocoa with just boiled water, add vanilla seeds and black pepper. Mix everything well and add sugar or honey. After cooling slightly, you can eat.
vanilla ice cream
Ingredients:
- 1 vanilla pod;
- 380 grams of milk;
- 120 grams of cream with 30% fat content;
- 4 egg yolks;
- 4 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Beat the yolks and powdered sugar until white. Bring the milk to a boil, containing a vanilla pod, cut lengthwise. Then take out the pod, combine the milk with the yolks and beat. Place the resulting mass on the fire and, stirring continuously, bring it to the consistency of liquid sour cream. Strain, cool, add separately whipped cream and place in the freezer.
Lilia Yurkanis
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Vanillin is a spice with a pleasant, sweet smell that is extracted from the vanilla fruit. It is a colorless powder consisting of small crystals. Vanillin is used for the production of baked goods and confectionery products, as well as for the creation of perfume compositions.
Appearance
Vanillin is extracted from a plant called Vanilla planifolia. This flower belongs to the orchid family. Vanilla is an evergreen, climbing plant. As it grows, it wraps around tree trunks. Its leaves are large, ovate, pointed at the end. The inflorescences are of a very unusual shape - they vaguely resemble an outstretched hand. The flowers are about 6 cm in size and are usually yellow or green. The seeds ripen in long pods, from which the spice is subsequently extracted.
Where does it grow
Vanilla is native to the West Indies, a group of islands located in the Caribbean Sea. At the beginning of the 19th century, this plant was discovered by the Englishman Henry Charles Andrews, and over the next 200 years, vanilla spread to greenhouses around the world. Currently, the largest quantities of vanilla bean are grown in the southern states of the United States, Central America and northern South America, as they have the most suitable climate for this flower.
Method of making spices
Vanillin is extracted from vanilla seeds, which ripen in pods. First, the seeds are treated with boiling water, then a long process begins, during which the seeds are alternately heated in the sun and steamed in plastic containers. This process takes about two weeks, after which the seeds darken and turn dark brown. Then, the seeds are dried and simply kept for several months so that the smell intensifies.
The following types of vanilla are cultivated today for the production of vanillin:
- Vanilla is fragrant. Grows in Mexico, Indonesia, the Caribbean and Madagascar. It is distinguished by large inflorescences. It has a rich, “warm” aroma.
- Antillean vanilla. It grows in Central America, at an altitude of 0.5 km above sea level. Most often used as an extract.
- Tahitian vanilla. The place of cultivation of this plant, which is the result of crossing the two species described above, is French Polynesia. This species is grown not only for the production of vanillin, but also for decorative purposes.
This is how natural vanillin is produced, but most of the spices sold in stores are artificially produced vanillin. It is made from various raw materials through synthesis.
Production of synthetic vanillin
Most of the spices sold in stores are artificially produced vanillin. It is made from various raw materials through synthesis. The possibility of synthesizing vanillin was discovered at the end of the 19th century in Germany by Wilhelm Haarmann and Ferdinand Thiemann. The production of synthetic vanillin was the first step towards the creation of artificial flavors. Currently, artificial vanillin can be obtained from a variety of substances, including eugenol, lignin and petrochemical raw materials.
Flavor identical to natural
Vanillin, obtained by synthesis, belongs to the group of flavorings identical to natural ones. This means that it has the same chemical structure as natural vanillin and can be used as a food product. Natural-identical flavoring, as opposed to artificial flavoring, is found in materials of animal and plant origin.
Difference in smell between synthetic and natural vanilla
The difference in aroma between synthesized vanillin and natural vanilla is, in fact, very significant. According to research, the smell of vanilla contains four hundred different components, and vanillin is only one of them. Therefore, the aroma of real vanilla is much richer and more multifaceted than the smell of an artificial substitute.
Characteristics
- white or colorless powder;
- sweet aroma;
- bitter taste.
Nutritional value and calorie content
Nutritional value and calorie content per 100 grams of product
Chemical composition
The composition of natural vanillin includes:
- essential oil;
- gluco-vanillin;
- tannin;
- cinnamon ester.
Where and how to choose
In specialized stores selling professional bakery and confectionery products, vanilla can be purchased in a variety of forms: in pods, in powder, and also in the form of an extract or essence. Synthesized vanillin is sold in any grocery store.
A quality product should have a strong, rich aroma. If you purchase vanilla pods, make sure that they are long, soft and bend well.
Beneficial features
- calms and relaxes;
- is a good antidepressant;
- has antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects;
- considered a natural aphrodisiac;
- normalizes metabolism;
- helps relieve allergy symptoms;
- has an anti-inflammatory effect;
- is an antimicrobial agent.
Harm
- may cause a severe allergic reaction, manifested in irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.
Oil
Vanilla essential oil has a strong, spicy-sweet aroma that lasts for many years. It has found application in medicine, cosmetology and aromatherapy. Vanilla oil is included in many cosmetics and perfumes. Not only is it an excellent flavoring agent, but it also has a calming and rejuvenating effect. The beneficial properties of this oil allow it to be used to combat various diseases. Vanilla essential oil can be used internally, in the form of inhalations or aroma lamps, and also added to a bath or massage mixture.
Application
In cooking
- vanillin is added to baked goods to give it a special aroma;
- vanillin is an essential component of many recipes for sweet creams and sauces;
- housewives often add vanillin to berry and fruit jams;
- most confectionery products, including chocolate, caramel, soufflé, etc., contain vanillin;
- sometimes vanillin is used to flavor alcoholic beverages, for example, liqueurs and some types of vodka;
- Vanillin is added to dairy and curd products to make them more flavorful.
Take 4 eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Slowly beat the egg whites, gradually adding a glass of sugar and a pinch of vanillin. After this, without stopping whisking, pour the yolks into the resulting mass. Then, kneading the dough from bottom to top, add a glass of sifted flour. Then set the oven temperature to 200 degrees and let it preheat. While the oven is heating, prepare a baking dish. The bottom can be greased with oil or covered with parchment paper. The cake should be baked for 20-25 minutes.
Curd vanilla cream
Beat 2/3 of a standard package of butter, 170 grams of cottage cheese and 1 tsp into a homogeneous mass. vanillin. Beat at low speed. Then add a glass of powdered sugar and beat the mixture again, this time gradually increasing the speed to maximum. The cream is ready!
In medicine
Natural vanillin can be used as an aid to combat the following diseases:
- rheumatic pains;
- digestive disorders;
- fever;
- mental disorders;
- depression;
- sleep disorders;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- skin inflammation;
- poor health on critical days;
- menstrual irregularities;
- intestinal colic.
When losing weight
Many modern weight loss systems include vanilla, but not as a food additive, but as a powerful antidepressant. Inhaling the sweet aroma of vanilla helps fight bad mood, relieves anxiety and calms nerves. In addition, when inhaling this smell, a person produces hormones that block the feeling of hunger.
At home
If you dilute a bag of vanillin in water and sprinkle your clothes and skin with this solution, you can relax in nature without fear of an invasion of midges, since the sweet smell repels these insects.
- Natural vanillin is considered one of the most expensive spices in the world.
- Some Native American tribes used vanilla beans instead of money.
