Sweet Techniques
Credit: André Baranowski
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Before vanilla extract became a popular ingredient in cakes and confections, about a hundred years ago, pastry chefs like those at Demel employed the actual beans of the tropical vanilla orchid. The beans are infused into cream or milk for custards, like the pastry cream filling for Demel's russische punschtorte, giving them a dose of otherworldly floral flavor. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise from tip to tip with a paring knife. Pressing the tip of one bean half with your finger on a work surface, slowly scrape the back side of the knife blade along the pod to remove the tiny beans. Repeat with the other half.
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