22 Vanilla

Vanilla is without exception the most popular flavour for Ice Cream in North America. The dairy industry uses half of the total imported vanilla to North America. It is a very important ice cream ingredient, not only in vanilla ice cream, but in many other flavours where it is used as a flavour enhancer, e.g. chocolate much improved by presence of vanilla.

Vanilla comes from a plant belonging to the orchid family called Vanilla planifolia. There are several varieties of vanilla beans among which are Bourbon, Tahitian, Mexican. Bourbon beans are used to produce best vanilla extracts. Bourbons from Madagescar are the finest and account for 40% of World production, Indonesia, 30% (UN FAO 2018).

From each blossom of the vine that is successfully fertilized comes a pod which reaches 6-10 inches in length, picked at 6-9 months. It requires 26-29oC day and night throughout the season, and frequent rains with dry season near end for development of flavour.

Pods are immersed in hot water to “kill them” (also increases enzyme activity), then fermented for 3-6 months by repeated wrapping in straw to “sweat” and then uncovered to sun dry. 5-6 kg green pods produce 1 kg. cured pods. Beans then aged 1-2 yrs. Enzymatic reactions produce many compounds – vanillin is the principal flavour compound. However, there is no free vanillin in the beans when they are harvested, it develops gradually during the curing period from glucosides, which break down during the fermentation and “sweating” of the beans. Extraction takes place as the beans are chopped (not ground) and placed in stainless steel percolator and warm alcohol (50oC, 50% solution) is pumped over and through the beans until all flavouring matter is extracted.

Concentrated Extract

Vacuum distillation takes place for a large part of the solvent. The desired concentration is specified as two fold, four fold, etc. Each multiple must be derived from an original 13.35 oz. beans.
Vanilla can be and is produced synthetically to a large extent. By-product of pulp and paper industry (lignan) or petrochemical industry (guaiacol). Compound flavours are produced from combination of vanilla extract and vanillin. Vanillin maybe added at one ounce to the fold and labelled Vanilla-Vanillin Flavour. Number of folds plus number oz. of vanillin equal total strength, eg. 2 fold + 2 oz. = 4 fold vanilla-vanillin. However,more than 1 oz to the fold is deemed imitation.

Vanilla flavouring is available in liquid form as:

• Natural Vanilla
• Natural and artificial (reinforced Vanilla with Vanillin)
• Artificial Vanilla (vanillin)

Usage level in the mix is a function of purity and concentration, usually ~0.3%.

Some vanillin actually improves flavour over pure vanilla extract but too much vanillin results in harsh flavours.

The choicest of ice creams can be made only with the best of flavouring materials. A good vanilla enhances the flavour of good dairy products in ice cream. It does not mask it.