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What are the differences between natural vanilla flavour and vanilla extract?
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It is sometimes difficult to find your way around the various forms of vanilla in the baking aisle when incorporating this delicate spice into your recipes: extract, flavouring, natural flavouring... But how exactly can you tell the difference between natural vanilla flavouring and vanilla extract?
Very popular in cooking but very expensive, vanilla is one of the best known spices in gastronomy. It is used in many preparations in all its forms - pods, beans, essence, extract, flavouring, etc. Its aromatic richness, which varies according to the variety, is suitable for many recipes, both sweet and savoury. Hence the development of numerous forms of products around this condiment, which sometimes makes it difficult for consumers to choose. We'll help you find your way around!
Extract and natural flavour, natural products from vanilla
What vanilla extract and natural vanilla flavour have in common is thatthey are both derived directly from the fruit. However, these products are not offered to consumers pure, but mixed with another substance. In accordance with European legislation,natural vanilla flavouring is prepared exclusively or at least from 95% vanilla, with the remaining 5% coming from other natural molecules (which may impart other flavours to the flavour).Vanilla extract, on the other hand, is obtained by a process called "extraction": vanilla beans are immersed in an alcohol and water-based solvent - a hydroalcoholic solution - and infused with it. To make an alcohol-free vanilla extract, this vanilla infusion is heated so that the alcohol evaporates, producing a paste. The proportions are subject to strict regulations: in the United States, for example, vanilla extract must contain at least 35% alcohol and 100 grams of vanilla beans per litre. Depending on the manufacturer and their recipe, the extract is more or less concentrated in taste. In any case, a very small quantity is enough to give the best flavour to a preparation.
Natural vanilla flavour, obtained from vanilla extract
The vanilla extract concentrate is the basis of the natural vanilla flavour: it is the flavouring preparation, which constitutes 95% of the final natural vanilla flavour. The remaining 5% must also come from natural sources. However, the formulation of this 5% is highly regulated: flavourists are not allowed to reproduce the taste of the 95% with this 5%. The weakest part of the flavouring is there to confer a typicality, to give fresher, spicy, biscuity, buttery or even milky notes to the original vanilla. The important thing is that the vanilla must be recognised first, but the aromatic profile can be worked on. Hence the importance of working with an excellent raw material, to obtain an exceptional final quality.
What is the difference between natural vanilla flavouring and vanilla flavouring?
According to the European regulation, a flavouring can only be called natural if its flavouring part consists exclusively of flavouring preparations and/or natural flavouring substances. While natural vanilla flavouring contains mainly vanilla extract, vanilla flavouring is obtained from flavouring substances that are not obtained naturally. These are flavourings obtained from chemically synthesised molecules, notably vanillin.
