Redefining Vanilla

I have been on this vanilla kick lately. Vanilla has such a lame reputation. Boring and simple, the exact opposite of decadence. I want to see if I can make vanilla a "crave-able" flavor, like chocolate. I mean, how often do you hear someone say,"I really need some vanilla right now"? Yeah... never.

I have been experimenting with real vanilla beans in some desserts lately. I made a vanilla bean cheesecake for a party last night and used vanilla sugar and vanilla bean paste. Using real vanilla beans gives it a nice look: speckle-y. But to be honest, while the cheesecake was good, it didn't blow my mind or anything.  I probably could have skipped all the fancy vanilla products and just used extract and no one would have been the wiser. I am not giving up yet but I am afraid that vanilla's reputation might be well earned and my mission may be futile.

Nonetheless, the cheesecake was delicious (as all cheesecakes are) so I will give you the recipe. As I said, the vanilla flavor wasn't mind blowing or anything so the vanilla sugar could probably be replaced with regular sugar and vanilla bean paste with vanilla extract and the cheesecake would still be great.

To make vanilla sugar, take one vanilla bean and cut it in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and add both the pod and seeds to two cups of sugar. Store in an airtight container for at least 5 days, shaking the mixture each day to infuse the vanilla flavor in the sugar.

Vanilla Bean paste is actually more like a thick syrup and can be used in place of a scraped vanilla bean. It adds nice vanilla speckles to the cheesecake!

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

Filling:
5  8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup vanilla sugar
3 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. vanilla bean paste
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs

Heat oven to 325°. Wrap a 9 inch springform pan in tin foil. Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, vanilla sugar and vanilla bean paste in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. 

Add sour cream; mix well.

Pour over crust.

Place tin foil wrapped pan in a large pan filled with water. (baking cheesecakes in a water bath help keep them from cracking) Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Refrigerate overnight. Run a knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake. Serve with a chocolate or fruit sauce because until I get vanilla to be more amazing it could use another flavor to compliment it. Enjoy!