DIY Vanilla Extract

For years we have heard that making your own vanilla extract is far superior to any extract you can buy. So, in December, we set out to make our own extract using the recipe contained on our Madagascar Vanilla bean vials. We followed the instructions, slicing the bean down the middle, filling a bottle with 2 cups of alcohol (we used Bacardi Rum left over from a holiday party), placing the beans in the bottle, shaking the bottle slightly, and putting the bottle in a dark location. The process took less than 15 minutes from start to finish. After we set the extract aside, we waited about eight weeks (shaking the bottle every other week or so).  Last week we used a little of the extract in an apple pie we made and we have one word for the extract. "Fantastic!"  The homemade extract was more robust than extracts used in the past, with a richer feel and stronger hints of vanilla. Another great thing about the homemade extract is that as we use the extract, all we have to do is top it off with some more alcohol.  Needless to say, homemade is the best!