
There is something quietly magical about turning two humble pantry staples into something that smells like a bakery. A split vanilla bean and plain granulated sugar are all it takes β no additives, no stabilizers, nothing that requires a second glance at a label. For anyone navigating emulsifier-free eating, this kind of recipe is a breath of fresh air, because so many flavored sugars and vanilla products on store shelves sneak in unnecessary extras. The process is almost meditative: scrape, stir, seal, and let time do the work over the course of a week. Each daily shake coaxes more of that warm, floral vanilla fragrance into every grain of sugar. Use it anywhere you'd reach for regular sugar β stirred into coffee, dusted over baked goods, or folded into whipped cream β and the depth of flavor is noticeably richer than anything from a packet.
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Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and use the back of the blade to scrape out the seeds.
Add the sugar to an airtight jar. Nestle both the scraped pod and the seeds into the sugar, then stir or shake briefly to distribute the seeds throughout.
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