If you love vanilla-flavoured sweet treats, using a vanilla bean pod in your baked goods will give you that pure, intense vanilla flavour. I always bake using them if I'm concocting a sweet indulgence for someone special.

Here's how to easily seed the pods. And don't even think about throwing away the pods once they're empty! Add them to your granulated sugar containers. They'll give the sugar a lovely hint of vanilla and turn it into homemade vanilla sugar.



1. Lay the pods on a cutting board.

2. Using a sharp pairing knife, split the pod in half lengthwise.

3. Using the dull side of your knife, run the knife along the inside of the pod, scraping the seeds and separating them from the pod.
4. Set the seeds aside and scrape the other half.

Try out this Vanilla Bean Pudding for dessert tonight.