Vanilla bean paste is a popular ingredient used in baking and cooking to add the intense flavor and specks of real vanilla beans to dishes. It is made by combining vanilla bean seeds, typically scraped from the inside of vanilla beans, with a sweet syrup or thickening agent. The paste provides a convenient alternative to using whole vanilla beans, as it offers the same concentrated flavor and visual appeal. Vanilla bean paste is commonly used in recipes where the presence of vanilla seeds is desired, such as custards, ice creams, cakes, and sauces.
