I'm shifting gears from savoury to sweet treats today, and truth be told, I just couldn't wait to talk about vanilla. Why? It's because it's my number one flavour when it comes to sweet things – next to strawberry, of course! We know that vanilla comes from a variety of the vanilla orchid and when it's pollinated, a vanilla pod grows. The plant grows mainly in Mexico, Madagascar, Central America and the West Indies. As spices and flavourings go, vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron, because growing the vanilla seed pods is labour-intensive. Despite the expense, vanilla is highly valued for its flavour and also its scent, especially in perfume manufacturing. Basically, there are four basic types of vanilla; Bourbon, Mexican, Tahitian and West Indian.
An interesting titbit from Wikipedia explains that Vanilla was completely unknown in the Old World before Cortez, and Spanish explorers arriving on the Gulf Coast of Mexico in the early 16th century gave vanilla its current name. Spanish and Portuguese sailors and explorers brought vanilla into Africa and Asia later that century. They called it 'vainilla', or "little pod". The word vanilla entered the English language in the 1754, when the botanist Philip Miller wrote about the genus in his Gardener's Dictionary. Vanilla is from the diminutive of 'vaina', from the Latin vagina (sheath) to describe the way the pod must be split open to expose the seeds. Hmmmm.. While the professional chefs among us will be able to get their hands on actual vanilla pods, the rest of us Trinis are more accustomed to seeing vanilla in liquid forms, i.e. vanilla extract or more commonly, vanilla essence. Although vanilla is a prized flavouring agent on its own, it is also used to enhance the flavour of other substances, such as chocolate, custard, caramel, coffee, and others. Today's recipes are a perfect example of this, and this week I am sharing simple recipes for rolled out Vanilla Cookies, a Simple White Cake and one of the easiest recipes for Vanilla icing.
Happy Baking!
Simple Vanilla Cookies
(Makes approximately two dozen cookies)
Ingredients
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup white sugar
1 cup (salted) butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or (1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence)
1 teaspoon almond essence
Method
• Combine the flour and baking powder and set aside.
• Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and vanilla and almond essences and mix.
• Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.
• The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness and cut into shapes using a cookie cutter.
• Place unbaked cookies on parchment lined baking sheets, or place on a Silpat (silicone baking sheet), and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F.
• After baking, let them sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Simple White Cake with Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients for White Cake
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Ingredients for Vanilla Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or
2 tablespoons margarine, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Method
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
• Combine flour and baking powder and add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
• Finally, stir in the milk until batter is smooth.
• Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
• Let cake cool completely before frosting.
To make the Vanilla Frosting, simply combine all the ingredients listed and beat everything on medium speed (using an electric mixer) until smooth and fluffy. Spread on cake and enjoy.
