Ndali Vanilla Intense Beans - 2 vanilla pods 15g

QUICK OVERVIEW

• 2 extra-strong gourmet vanilla beans per tube
• Exploded in rare vanillin crystals:the champagne & truffles of vanilla
• Beloved by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
• Notes of dates, musk & warm butterscotch
• Cured in small artisanal batches on Ndali Estate in Uganda

IDEAS

• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod (vanilla ‘caviar’) to flavour and visually enhance whipped cream, crème anglaise or crème pâtissière
• vanilla pods are wonderful for steeping in milk to make sauces, ice cream or milkshakes, where the creamy colours and velvety textures are enhanced by the umami flavours of the vanilla and the bespeckled magic of the black seeds
• Either fresh or washed after steeping in a custard, pop the pods into a jar of coffee beans or sugar to infuse flavour over a few weeks
• Add to baked fruit, poached pears or fruit crumbles
• Drop quarter of a pod into a pot of tea with fresh garden mint for a delicious herbal tea
• Pop a vanilla pod into your favourite vodka or vinegar
• Experiment with savoury dishes: pares well with fish, chicken, pork; tomatoes, potatoes, and pumpkin 

DETAILS 

“We have been using Ndali Vanilla in the River Cottage kitchen for some time now, and I can confidently say it is some of the best I have ever come across. The pods arrive beautifully supple and are bursting with tiny sticky seeds. The scent is rich and intense, and the flavour deep, long lasting and absolutely true. It particularly shines out in our panna cotta, which we serve with a lightly sweetened compote of seasonal forced rhubarb.”
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

These extremely rare vanilla beans (2 beans per tube) have been ripening longer on the vine, until they split, to maximise their vanillin (vanilla flavour) and will, after months of gentle curing, form exquisite iridescent vanillin crystals which should be included in your cooking for extra flavour.

Packed in a double-barrelled, printed aluminium tube, so beautiful you won’t want to send it for recycling: we’ve seen them re-used as cases for pencils, drill bits, paperclips and even the stripy tops as flower vases.

HOW TO USE IT

• Slit the vanilla pod lengthways with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds into your recipe
• Wherever possible be sure to also steep the remaining vanilla pod in your recipe, as much of the flavour is also in the flesh of the bean
• Handy hint: used vanilla pods can be rinsed off and popped into a jar of sugar, tea or coffee to impart a delicate aroma over a few weeks

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Dimensions: 19cm x 2.2cm

Package information: re-cyclable aluminium pot

Allergen advice: dairy free, gluten free, egg free, peanut free, soy free

Storage advice: store in a dark dry place inside its original tube or in an airtight container and away from direct heat; do not refrigerate