Vanilla Scented Sugar

More About This Recipe

• Vanilla Scented Sugar is a simple way to jazz up some of your favorite holiday recipes, and it is so simple to make.
  
  I like to use one vanilla bean per cup of sugar. You can control the strength of the vanilla by changing up the type of vanilla bean you use, since some are milder than others, or by the number of vanilla beans you use per cup of sugar.
  
  Instead of mixing in the actual vanilla beans with the sugar, I just store the beans and sugar together in an airtight container for a couple of days. All you’re really doing is letting vanilla beans infuse the sugar with their scent. This way, you can save the bean pods for other uses.
  
  Scrape the beans out of the pods and add to a recipe. Then, save the pods and use them to infuse hot liquids with their flavor. For example, simmer the empty pods in a pot of milk or cream to add extra vanilla flavor to homemade hot chocolate.
  
  Vanilla sugar can make a fun gift when paired with a homemade hot chocolate recipe and/or a homemade hot chocolate mix. A cute container, a ribbon, and a label or nicely decorated recipe card is perfect for a simple holiday gift.
  
  Katie Goodman believes that part of the goodness in life is sharing good food with friends and family. She's a work-at-home mom determined to make family meal time a priority while providing a variety of healthy and delicious food choices. She blogs at goodLife {eats}, where she shares what she finds good in the kitchen and in life.