I have spent much time baking with Cook's my whole life. However, during the past five years, I have delved into extracts and flavors that I had only used occasionally before. Now I can recommend these extracts and flavors as items to keep in your pantry at all times.
Remember that our extracts only improve with age and never expire. They are meant to be kept at ambient temperature, away from light. Your pantry or a cabinet is the perfect place to keep our extracts.
The Vanillas
My recommendations for pure vanilla extracts haven't changed much, but I have added a new addition to my supply!
Cook's Choice Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract: This is the original. If you can only keep one flavor in your pantry, this is the one. It is a classic for a reason. It is complex, rich, and delicious. It brings your desserts to life in a similar way that salt does. It enhances every other flavor and adds aroma and flavor that just can't be found anywhere else. If you prefer, you can also buy our Organic Cook's Choice Pure Vanilla Extract. Both are divine. I recommend if you are a regular vanilla user, to purchase a quart or even a gallon at a time and use the large size to refill your smaller bottle as needed. Vanilla extract improves with age, so there is no need to worry about using it up in time. I
Cook's Cookie Pure Tahitian Blend Vanilla Extract: This vanilla extract is like a secret weapon. As the name implies, it adds a fantastic note to cookies and baked goods which takes your basic chocolate chip cookie from great to "Oh my gosh! What is your cookie recipe? These are soo good." This extract isn't just for cookies though. You can take a page out of a chef's book and use it in homemade vanilla ice cream for an exotic and spellbinding Tahitian vanilla flavor. I have also found that it pairs beautifully with tropical fruits. Anytime I am making a dessert with banana, pineapple, mango, passionfruit, or coconut, I reach for this vanilla. The anisesal flavoring components are what make Tahitian vanilla distinct and they really help to bring out the fruity and tropical flavors in a dessert. I also have found that tropical fruits can stand up to the intense flavor of Tahitian vanilla, whereas fruits like berries are easily overwhelmed.
Alcohol-Free Pure Vanilla Flavor: For more on this particular vanilla, read this blog, but the short of it is that the vanilla adds a sweet, subtle vanilla flavor that really makes your baked goods taste like they came from the best bakery in town. It's mellow and delicious and pairs beautifully with apples, berries, and stone fruit where it lets the fruit take center stage.
I would arrange these vanillas on an intensity spectrum with Alcohol-Free Pure Vanilla Flavor at the most mellow, Cook's Choice in the middle, and Cook's Cookie at the most intense. It is handy to have all three in your pantry to give you flexibility in your dessert-making.
Other Flavors
Pure Almond Extract: This is another classic extract. Many recipes call for it to be used and it makes a delicious addition to white cakes, cookies, and any almond-based dessert. But, these aren't its only uses. The flavoring component in almond extract is found in the pits of stone fruit. So if you want to intensify the flavor of desserts with cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums, or apricots, almond extract is the way to go. I recommend using somewhere from a quarter to half a teaspoon in stone fruit desserts because almond extract can easily be overpowering.
Pure Lemon Extract: Lemon is used frequently in dessert making. Use lemon extract anywhere lemon zest is called for and you won't be disappointed. Think about lemon cakes, cookies, tarts, sorbets, etc.
Pure Orange Extract: This extract should be used just like lemon extract in any recipe where orange zest is called for. This extract is also particularly fabulous when added to cocktails. I like spritzing a bit over an old-fashioned or a margarita!
Pure Maple Extract: Maple, like vanilla, is a flavor-enhancing extract. This means that you can pair it with many different flavors with ease. I love to add it to desserts with nuts like pecans and hazelnuts. It is wonderful with coffee and delicious with blueberries.
Pumpkin Spice Flavor: This flavor is a spice blend and can be used in a dessert where spices are front and center. It also really shines in dairy-based desserts like ice cream and cheesecakes. I add it to spice cookies, spice cakes, carrot cakes, French toast, and of course pumpkin pie. Some of my best recipes use this flavor!
You won't regret having these flavors at your disposal. They will take your desserts to new heights and they are fun to work with!
Happy Baking!
Comments