If you have the time to make your own extracts, it sure is worth as they can be just as good as you get from the store or even better! It sure is a labour of love but well worth it and really doesn’t take too much time. If you have your ingredients and a bottle of vodka, you have it made. Vodka is used because it is odourless, colourless and flavourless.

Home made vanilla extract:

1. Cut 10 vanilla beans in half and slit them so the vanilla paste and seeds are exposed.

2. Place the cut vanilla beans into a 1 litre mason jar.

3. Add 3-4 cups of vodka into the mason jar covering the vanilla beans and filling the vodka within an inch of head space from the rim.

4. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

5. Place jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 6-8 weeks. After 8 weeks shake jar and let stand for another 6 months.

6. After 6 months, decant the amount of vanilla extract that you will need.

7. You can just top off with vodka and keep reusing the vanilla extract. It can be used perpetually replacing with fresh vodka after decanting every time.

Home made coffee extract:

1. Use a 16 oz mason jar and fill up with 8oz of Italian espresso beans.

2. Add 2 cups of vodka to the coffee beans making sure to fill the vodka within an inch of head space from the rim.

3. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

4. Place the jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 6-8 weeks. After 8 weeks, shake the jar and let stand for up to 6 months in total for an amazing coffee extract.

5. After 6 months, decant the amount of coffee extract that you will need.

6. Because coffee can get rancid, this extract mixture will not be perpetual. You can probably get another 6 months with another top up of vodka. But you should decant the rest and discard the coffee beans or dry them and grind them and use them on instant espresso drinks or on whipped cream desserts.

Home made chocolate extract:

1. Use a 16 oz jar and fill up half the jar with 8oz of crushed cacao nibs

2. Add 2 cups of vodka to the crushed cacao beans making sure to fill the vodka within an inch of head space from the rim.

3. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

4. Place the jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 6-8 weeks. After 8 weeks, shake the jar and let stand for up to 6 months in total for an amazing chocolate extract.

5. After 6 months, decant the amount of cacao extract that you will need.

6. Because cacao beans can get rancid, this extract mixture will not be perpetual. You can probably get another 6 months with another top up of vodka. But you should decant the rest and discard the cacao beans or grind them and use them as a topper on chocolate whipped desserts.

Home made cinnamon extract:

1. Use a 16 oz jar and fill up the jar with cinnamon sticks (3” preferably)

2. Add 2 cups of vodka to the cinnamon sticks making sure to fill the vodka within an inch of head space from the rim.

3. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

4. Place the jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 6-8 weeks. After 8 weeks, shake the jar and let stand for up to 3 months in total for an amazing cinnamon extract. It might already be good enough by 8 weeks.

5. Decant amount of cinnamon extract that you will need.

6. You can just top off with vodka and keep reusing the cinnamon extract. It can be used perpetually replacing with fresh vodka after decanting every time.

Home made almond extract:

1. Use a 16 oz jar and fill up the jar with fresh blanched slivered almonds (the fresher the better)

2. Add 2 cups of vodka to the almonds making sure to fill the vodka within an inch of head space from the rim.

3. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

4. Place the jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 6-8 weeks. After 8 weeks, shake the jar and let stand for up to 6 months in total for an amazing almond extract.

5. Decant amount of cinnamon extract that you will need.

6. Because almonds have fat, they can get rancid, and this extract mixture will not be perpetual. You can probably get another 6 months with another top up of vodka. But you should decant the rest and discard the almond or dry them and use them in baking or as a topper on desserts.

Home made coconut extract:

1. Use a 16 oz jar and fill up half the jar with unsweetened shredded coconut

2. Add 2 cups of vodka to the almonds making sure to fill the vodka within an inch of head space from the rim.

3. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

4. Place the jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 6-8 weeks. You may like the flavour at this point but if not strong enough, let stand up to 3 months in total for an amazing coconut extract.

5. Decant amount of coconut extract that you will need.

6. Because coconut has fat, it can get rancid, and this extract mixture will not be perpetual. You can probably get another 6 months with another top up of vodka. But you should decant the rest and discard the coconut or dry it and use it in baking or as a topper on desserts.

Home made mint extract:

1. Use a 16 oz jar and fill up the jar with fresh peppermint or fresh mint leaves and stems washed and dried. Press into jar with a pestle to release oils.

2. Add 2 cups of vodka to the peppermint/mint making sure to fill the vodka within an inch of head space from the rim.

3. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

4. Place the jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 6-8 weeks. You may like the flavour at this point but if not strong enough, let stand up to 3 months in total for an amazing peppermint/mint extract

5. Decant amount of mint/peppermint extract that you will need.

6. Because mint/peppermint will not last another 6 months, it is recommended to decant and dry the mint/peppermint and use as potpourri.

Home made orange extract:

1. Use a 16 oz jar and fill up the jar with orange peels and stems pressed into jar with a pestle to release oils. Use a potato peeler and only use the zest, not the pith (which is the white part inside the peel -it can be very bitter).

2. Add 2 cups of vodka to the orange zest making sure to fill the vodka within an inch of head space from the rim.

3. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

4. Place the jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 6-8 weeks. You may like the flavour at this point but if not strong enough, let stand up to 6 months in total for an amazing orange extract

5. Decant amount of mint/peppermint extract that you will need.

6. You can just top off with vodka and keep reusing the orange extract for probably another 6 months.

LEMON AND LIME CAN BE MADE THE SAME WAY AS ORANGE EXTRACT

Cardamom extract:

1. Use a 16 oz jar and fill up the jar with crushed cardamom pods.

2. Add 2 cups of vodka to the cardamom pods making sure to fill the vodka with in an inch of head space from the rim.

3. If using a metal lid, cover with a cloth before placing the lid on top to avoid the metal touching the extract.

4. Place the jar in a dark place in a pantry for about 2-3 days. If kept longer, it will become bitter.

5. Decant the whole amount and use cardamom seeds in baking as well by drying and grinding to powder.