The Art of Extract Making: A Kitchen Guide to Making Vanilla and Other Extracts at Home

by Paul Fulton, Jill Fulton

A first-of-its-kind cookbook, featuring 40 unique and approachable extract recipes for both brand-new and experienced DIY extract makers. From VanillaPura founders Paul and Jill Fulton comes a delightful collection of scrupulously tested extract recipes designed to pack maximum flavor and sweetness into a variety of baking and cooking applications. Creating high-quality, high-impact extract is so much more than simply putting beans into booze and waiting. In The Art of Extract Making, the Fultons offer a brief overview of the history of vanilla cultivation, the science of extraction, and the intricacies of different vanilla species and spirit varieties so that at-home extract makers can make the best choices about which ingredients will yield the best results for their desired applications. From an introductory-level “first vanilla extract” recipe, to more complex blends of cocoa, caramel, and coffee, the book covers a vast range of flavors, even delving into surprising combinations like ginger and peach. With simple recipe steps, detailed taste-testing instructions, and clear guidance on vanilla bean origins and alcohol types to use for each recipe, the hardest part will be waiting for the extract to be ready! The Fultons invite readers to make each recipe their own with the extract-making journal pages included at the end of the book so that personalized, perfect sweetness can be recreated time and time again.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Co-founder of VanillaPura.com and co-author of The Art of Extract Making, with wife and business partner Jill Fulton.

Paul & Jill work together as they continue to make VanillaPura home to the largest variety of vanilla beans and all things extract making. Their virtual community of extract makers is the largest in the world and the source for endless creativity and extract innovation. Join them on Facebook, IG, YouTube, Pinterest, Reddit and other social media sites by searching for @vanillapura.

Their Facebook group is often called, "The sweetest group on Facebook" with over 100,000 members that are available 24/7 to help people around the world with their extracts. Ask any question, any time and get an answer immediately from super-kind, knowledgeable extract makers. Just search for "Making Vanilla Extract by VanillaPura" in your Facebook groups.

Paul's business career spans 25 years as an Executive, CEO, Consultant, Entrepreneur and Author. In addition to building VanillaPura, he consults with start-ups to fortune-500 companies to expand their e-commerce presence, build their websites and grow their brick-and-mortar footprint. He has opened more than 100 businesses in over 20 countries and successfully launched two start-ups.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

You want to make your own vanilla extract? You just need great vanilla beans, the correct alcohol (vodka, rum or bourbon) and a year of patience. Homemade extract is a true delight!

The authors give a history of vanilla, go through the many types of vanilla and teach you how to make your own vanilla extract with a pile of recipes including a recipe to extract the vanilla much more quickly. Check out their site at vanilla pura for methods, recipes and vanilla beans.

My wife and I have been making vanilla extract for years but I wish I would have read this book earlier for the excellent ideas and methods to get the most from the right vanilla beans.

[Paul Fulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/19/23 Update: We just received our author copies and they are beautiful! Books should be in the warehouse and will begin shipping the first week of October if you pre-ordered on VanillaPura.com. Exciting to be this close to finally begin shipping!!

10/19/23 Update: Books are shipping and we've been a #1 New Release on Amazon 4 weeks in a row! Please leave reviews here and on Amazon! Thanks for everyone's support!! :)

11/24 Update: Thanks for all of the support shown for our book! We have been on the Amazon Best Seller List since late September (9 weeks now)!! What a journey, and we're just beginning! Thank you all!

Sept 24, 2024 Update: 1 year since our publication date and we have been on the Amazon Best Seller List every single day...and counting. Thousands of copies sold, thousands (maybe tens of thousands) of extracts made and tens of thousands of new friends made over the past year that have joined our Facebook Group, "Making Vanilla Extract by VanillaPura", now with over 122,000 members. What a journey. Thanks to all of you for joining us on our journey - and what a sweet journey it has been. Happy extracting!

[Jaimie Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

All very good information. I think I expected more though- more recipes for extracts, some involving herbs and other flavors. Almost every one uses vanilla. I also expected recipes to make WITH the extracts, and while they offer suggestions, there aren’t any specific recipes. A good book to pick up if you are very, very new.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent instructional resource book. I borrowed it from the library to read and it surpassed my expectations, so I will be purchasing it.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique cookbook in that it is all about extract making. The author gives a great overview of vanilla beans and how they are grown, harvested, sorted, sold, etc. Then he gets into actually making the extract - what kind of spirits to use, jars/containers, and other details. The last section is a variety of extract recipes. I thought the book was very thorough and did a good job of walking you through making your own extract. I just made my first batch of homemade vanilla extract last year and I'm excited to continue making extracts and might try some of their recipes in the future. I was also lucky enough to be able to visit the Hawaiian Vanilla Company on the Big Island of Hawaii back in 2014 and actually see how vanilla is grown and harvested in person. I was also able to get very reasonably priced vanilla beans at the local farmers markets in Hawaii. If you're curious about making your own vanilla extract definitely check out this book.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected a bunch of recipes and received a comprehensive textbook of vanilla extracts! What a pleasant surprise as I delved into this gem. Paul & Jill Fulton take you on a journey through the history of vanilla beans as we know them today, the many species, origins, harvesting, and selecting of vanilla beans. They also talk about the various Spirits available to create your own extracts and recommendations to blend specific flavor profiles. In addition to numerous actual recipes, they include a thorough troubleshooting guide and handy log to keep detailed information about each of your own extracts.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting recipes and history

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and informative! This is a great guide to vanilla, especially for beginners! From the basics of vanilla extracts to using vanilla beans as a binder for fruit extracts, this book has plenty of recipes and ideas to get you started or help you try more involved extracts.

It was so interesting to read about the vanilla bean itself and the many stages through which it must pass before it arrives in your home. Bits of history, geography, science, and the art of creating all meld together in this book to educate and inspire anyone who peruses its pages.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how detailed and clear the instructions are! And the photos are gorgeous ✨

[Ptera Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The recipes in the book are good but repetitive, and the first part has some great tips. However, most are a variation on vanilla plus another flavor. It provides good information on how long to let each extract sit, suggested ratios, and a few fixes.

[Scott Andrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

a pamphlet, really

[Terri Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the whole book today. Will start again tomorrow. Excellent for a detail oriented mind like mine

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't your ordinary cookbook, if it can be called a cookbook. It explains everything about vanilla beans. From when they were first started to be grown, to harvesting, to different grades of beans, to the flavors of the beans have depending on what country the beans are from. Then it goes into how to make different extracts, whether its a basic vanilla to flavored vanilla. If you are someone who loves making your own spices or just someone who loves to try doing new things. Then this is the book for you. I'm so happy that I found this book. 10 out 10 would recommend.