Vanilla – Recipes for Everyone!

Vanilla is a spice with a characteristic sweet flavor and aroma, originating from the seeds of the tropical plant Vanilla planifolia. In the kitchen, it’s widely used in sweet dishes such as cakes, cupcakes, ice cream, puddings, and creams. Vanilla is also a frequent addition to drinks like coffee and tea, and to alcoholic beverages like rum and liqueurs. To prepare dishes with vanilla, you’ll most often use vanilla extract, which is an alcoholic solution of vanilla seed essence. You can easily make this extract yourself at home. Check out my recipe for homemade vanilla extract. There are also other forms of vanilla, such as powder, vanilla sugar, or the **vanilla bean** itself, which is the most luxurious, but also the most expensive, form of vanilla. Vanilla is valued not only for its taste and aroma but also for its **health benefits**. Vanilla seeds contain substances with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Vanilla can also help improve mood, reduce anxiety, and promote better sleep.