As a rule of thumb, plan on one vanilla bean per 500 ml of milk or cream, one to two beans for a liter of ice cream base, and about 100 g of beans per liter of alcohol for a homemade extract. These are starting points: a plump, oily Grade A bean gives more flavor than a dry one.
The Dosage Chart
| Recipe | Base quantity | Recommended beans |
|---|---|---|
| Custard sauce (crème anglaise) | 500 ml of milk | 1 bean |
| Pastry cream | 500 ml of milk | 1 bean |
| Vanilla ice cream | 1 liter of base (milk and cream) | 1 to 2 beans |
| Panna cotta | 500 ml of cream | 1 bean |
| Rice pudding | 1 liter of milk | 1 bean |
| Whipped cream | 250 ml of cream | ½ bean (seeds only) |
| Cake, loaf cake, cookies | Batter for 6 to 8 servings | ½ to 1 bean (seeds only) |
| Homemade vanilla extract | 1 liter of alcohol | about 100 g, or around thirty beans |
For a more pronounced vanilla flavor, add half a bean rather than steeping longer: after an hour over heat, the aroma barely develops any further.
How Many Beans Are in a Pouch?
A Grade A vanilla bean from Madagascar weighs 3.5 g on average. The exact number varies with the length and suppleness of each lot, but these benchmarks will help you choose a size:
| Size | Approximate number of beans | Good for… |
|---|---|---|
| 5 beans | 5 | a few recipes, a first try |
| 50 g | about 14 | a month of home baking |
| 100 g | about 28 | regular use or a first batch of extract |
| 250 g | about 70 | frequent baking, several batches of extract |
All our Black Gourmet sizes show the price per kilo, so you can compare at a glance.
Handy Equivalents
- 1 vanilla bean ≈ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vanilla extract (single-strength), to swap one for the other in a recipe.
- Vanilla caviar: the seeds alone, without the pod. Start with about 1 g per 500 ml of milk, then adjust to taste. See how to use vanilla caviar.
- Already-steeped pod: it still has flavor. Once dried, it’s enough to flavor a jar of sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is one vanilla bean enough for a liter of milk?
For a light flavor, yes. For a custard or an ice cream where vanilla is the star, plan on two beans per liter.
Should you use more beans if they’re dry?
Yes, a dry bean has lost moisture and some of its aroma: add half a bean, or save it for an extract, where dryness matters little.
How many vanilla beans for homemade vanilla extract?
About 100 g of beans per liter of 40% alcohol, or around thirty beans. All the details are in our guide to making your own vanilla extract.