Trader Joe’s is an excellent store to get true organic ingredients. They’re very transparent about their products and only put the best on their shelves. They have some finds not common at other grocers, such as the case with their Vanilla Bean Paste.
We’ll provide a brief overview on how to use Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste. This thick, syrupy product packs with vanilla bean pods from Madagascar. The ingredients are simple: sugar, water, vanilla extract, ground vanilla bean seeds, xanthan gum and acacia gum.
Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste is a vanilla explosion of rich, earthiness that’s delicate and cream-like with a hint of sweetness. It’s much less expensive than actual vanilla beans or extract, making it very cost effective. You can use it in any food or recipe that will benefit from a boost of vanilla.
Suggestions for Using Vanilla Bean Paste from Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste is an excellent accompaniment for any baked goodies, sweet sauces, nectarous treats and delectable desserts.
You can even include this viscous joy in some beverages. One jar holds as many as 12 vanilla beans and you can tell when you smell the aroma wafting into your nostrils.
One of the greatest things about it is that you can use it as a replacement for vanilla extract in any recipe. There are no adjustments either. It’s 1:1. So if your whipped cream recipe calls for two teaspoons of vanilla extract, you can use two teaspoons of Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste instead.
The sky is truly the limit with this stuff and it can go into anything you want to have that exotic taste signature of this flavorful bean.
Truly, it’s a piece of heaven in your mouth incomparable to any other flavoring on earth. To give you an idea of the plethora of things you can use it in:
- Ice Cream
- Custard
- Pastry Creams
- Whipped Cream
- Boston Crème Pie
- Cocktails
- Napoleons/Mille-Feuille
- Pancakes
- Cakes of All Kinds
- Pie and Tart Fillings
- Herbal, Green and Black Teas
- Coffee, Lattes and Espresso-Blended Drinks
- Milkshakes
- Smoothies
- Icings and Glacés
- Crème Brûlée
- Cookies
- Kifli
- Homemade Blended Syrups (but it’s too expensive as a syrup on its own)
- Pudding and Mousse
- Cupcakes and Muffins
- Macaroons
- Meringues
- Health Shakes
- Short Breads
- Candies
- Puff Pastries and Turnovers
To check the current price and availability of Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
Storage and Handling of Vanilla Bean Paste from Trader Joe’s
While you would normally store vanilla beans and extract at room temperature, you don’t want to do this for the Vanilla Bean Paste from Trader Joe’s.
Once you open the vanilla bean paste, store it in the refrigerator. As long as you keep it in its original container, it should keep beautifully for well up to a year.
If you accidentally leave the jar out and open for a few hours, there’s no problem. Simply affix the lid and put it into the fridge.
However, if you find the jar has sat out for a whole day, check the consistency before covering. In the event it’s stiffly thick, you might have to throw it out if this undesirable texture accompanies a horrid odor or it smells different than before.
If everything looks and smells fine, replace the lid and pop it back into the fridge.
Potential Health Benefits of Vanilla Bean Paste
Because vanilla Bean Paste is not a snack on its own, the nutritional value of it isn’t often a thought for most people.
So, while it doesn’t have any components of real concern, it doesn’t necessarily have many health benefits either. That said, one teaspoon has 15 total calories.
For the sake of illustration, there are four grams of total carbohydrates and four grams of sugar as well as four grams of added sugars. So, this isn’t particularly advisable for those with severe diabetes.
However, vanilla beans and seeds, in and of themselves, do have something of a health benefit to them.
Not only are the aromatics calming to the heart and mind, but it can also assist with digestive issues and weight loss as well as treating cough and fever.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Use Vanilla Bean Paste?
You can use vanilla bean paste in any recipe, beverage or food with sweetness to it. There is no limit to what you can put it in since it makes a perfect replacement for vanilla beans or extract.
How Do You Use Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste in Coffee?
Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste can go into coffee in a number of ways. You could simply mix a teaspoon into your cup once you’re done brewing a pot.
You could also blend it into lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas by putting a teaspoon or two into the milk before frothing.
This doesn’t negate cold coffee drinks like iced mochas, cold brew or frappes. You simply put a little right in with your drink along with your creamer and sugar.
But, if you want to have a fancy topper for your coffee, you could mix up your own whipped cream and put a dab of the vanilla paste in that.
Can I Use Vanilla Bean Paste Rather Than Vanilla Beans?
You absolutely can use vanilla bean paste in place of actual vanilla beans. The ratio is a perfect equivalent. So, whatever your recipe calls for in fresh vanilla beans, simply use the same amount of paste instead.
Can You Use Vanilla Bean Paste Instead of Vanilla Extract?
As with vanilla beans, you can use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract. The exchange rate is equal, so if your recipe dictates one teaspoon of vanilla extract, measure out the same for vanilla paste.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste has many uses and the possibilities are almost endless. From coffee and tea to cakes and pastry crème, it goes well with any recipe you want.
Plus, it’s an inexpensive way to supplement buying vanilla beans and extracts, which are considerably more expensive.
