Nielson- Massey Vanilla Review and Giveaway!

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Taking premium, hand-selected beans cultivated on the Bourbon Island of Madagascar, Nielson-Massey  uses their proprietary cold extraction process to gently draw out and preserve the vanilla's over 300 flavor compounds. The result is a sweet, creamy, mellow flavor with velvety after-tones, perfect for cooking and baking both sweet and savory dishes. and can be used in any of your favorite recipes.  One tablespoon of vanilla extract is equivalent to one vanilla bean. It is available in 2-, 4- , 8- and 32-ounce bottles. This product is Kosher and Gluten-Free Certified as well as All-Natural and Allergen-Free.

Ingredients: Water, Alcohol (35%), Sugar, Vanilla Bean Extractive

Homemade Ice Cream: Did you know July is National Ice Cream Month? And, since is this "Birthday Week" I would be remiss to not touch on this delicious treat. Many people don't know that you can make ice cream at home. There are actually three ways you can make homemade ice cream for your next party or for your everyday enjoyment even if you don't have an ice cream maker:

• The Bag Method:  Take a well-chilled ice cream base, put it in a plastic bag (Ziploc), which rests inside of a larger Ziploc bag filled with kosher salt and ice, then shake for a long while and end up with some pretty good ice cream.

• Ice Cream in a Can, or Kick the Can: Put ice cream base in a small coffee can, which rests in a larger coffee can, surrounded by rock salt and ice. Seal the tops and roll the can around.

• The Stir-Every-30-Minutes Method: Take custard base out of the freezer every half-hour and give it a vigorous stir until you have an ice-cream-like consistency. It’s the simplest of all techniques.

Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream:                

(Yield 1-1/2-quarts)

Ingredients 
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup caster sugar* (baker’s sugar)
1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract 
2 (13.5-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (garnish)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk cream, sugar and vanilla extract until combined; set aside. Add coconut milk to a large glass measuring cup; add cream-sugar mixture and stir.
2. Assemble ice cream maker and pour ice cream mixture through filling hole. For the perfect ice-cream follow the manufacturer’s appliance directions.
3. While ice cream is churning, toast the coconut. Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a small rimmed baking sheet, evenly spread coconut; place in oven and toast, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, as coconut will toast quickly. Cool and store until ready to use.

*Caster sugar can be difficult to find. To make a superfine sugar, add granulated sugar to a mini food processor bowl and pulse until sugar is a superfine, but not a powdery consistency.

Buttercream Recipe: I use vanilla most often when I make buttercream frosting. I made this recipe for my son's party this past weekend:

Ingredients
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar
2 Tablespoons milk (more or less for desired consistency)

Directions
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.

Nielson-Massey Review: I have been making this buttercream recipe for several years now so my family is very familiar with the taste. So,  I was a bit surprised when my mother-in-law commented on how she liked my "new" frosting at my son's birthday party this past weekend. I was confused at the time and told her that it was the same frosting I have been making and it did not hit me until later that the only thing that changed was the vanilla!  It does have a very rich and authentic taste to it and it really did enhance the overall flavor of the frosting. I was worried that it would make the frosting discolored because I usually use a clear vanilla, but it was virtually undetectable in coloring once mixed with the other ingredients.  I am quite happy with this vanilla and would definitely use it again!

Giveaway:

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*I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. All opinions expressed are my own.