Queen Vanilla extracts are made by combining pure vanilla beans with a mixture of alcohol (sugar cane-derived ethanol) and water. This allows the flavour compounds from the pure vanilla bean to infuse into the alcohol/water mixture, which then forms the pure vanilla extract. While vanilla beans can be extracted without alcohol, it is very slow, ineffective and results in a lower quality vanilla extract. At Queen we want to produce the very best vanilla for your baking, which is why our extracts are made through the alcohol extraction method.
Does the alcohol cook out?
The highest percentage of alcohol Queen Vanilla contains is 35%. This means that if you use 1 tsp Queen Vanilla extract in your baking (5ml), you would at most add 1.75ml alcohol to your cake (a tiny amount). The high temperatures achieved during baking will cause most of this alcohol to evaporate out of your cake with the flavor remaining intact, as the alcohol is simply a carrier for the flavor.
What alcohol free vanilla do you have in your range?
Queen Finest pure vanilla beans are the only alcohol free vanilla in our range at this time.
Queen Imitation Vanilla Flavour is another option for your baking but this is not a vanilla extract, only an imitation vanilla flavour and contains less alcohol.
In conclusion;
In short, alcohol is the most effective way to extract the true flavour from the vanilla bean that you love in your baking. That rich aroma when you crack open a bottle, and the incredible flavour when used in baking are all achieved by the extraction process that we have perfected here at Queen over the past 120 Years!
