What is vanilla?
Vanilla is the cured fruit (pod or bean) of a climbing orchid, Orchidaceae family. The two commercial species are Vanilla planifolia (Bourbon or Madagascar vanilla) and Vanilla tahitensis (Tahitian vanilla). The pods are picked green and odourless, then go through months of curing (blanching, sweating and slow drying) during which vanillin, the signature aroma compound, develops. Known simply as vanilla or vanilya across Egypt, Iraq, the Levant and the Gulf, it is the second most expensive spice after saffron because every flower is pollinated by hand.
Vanilla came from Mexico and entered the modern Arab kitchen through European pastry in the nineteenth century; today it is inseparable from cakes, biscuits, crème caramel, muhallabia and ice cream in every Arab home.
Types, varieties and origins
Madagascar vanilla beans (Bourbon)
Madagascar's SAVA region grows around 80 % of the world's vanilla, species V. planifolia. The beans are dark, glossy and supple, 14–20 cm long, rich in vanillin (1.5–2.5 %) with the classic warm creamy aroma that is the benchmark for pastry and ice cream. Beans are graded Gourmet (30–35 % moisture, glossy and pliable) or Extraction (under 25 % moisture, for extract making).
Tahitian vanilla beans
From French Polynesia and Papua New Guinea, species V. tahitensis. The beans are plumper and shorter, lower in vanillin (about 1–1.5 %) but rich in floral and fruity compounds such as heliotropin, giving a cherry-floral character favoured by pastry chefs for cold creams, fruit desserts and drinks.
Vanilla powder
Whole dried beans ground to a powder (commercial grades may be blended with sugar or dextrose); easy to measure and adds no liquid, ideal for dry baking and coffee.
Natural liquid vanilla and concentrated extract
Beans are extracted in a water-alcohol solution. The US standard (FDA 21 CFR 169) defines single-fold extract as 13.35 oz of beans per gallon at a minimum 35 % alcohol; concentrated extracts are two-fold or stronger. A few drops are enough in creams and custards, as high heat drives off part of the aroma.
Vanilla paste
Natural extract with bean seeds and a natural thickener, giving the flavour of extract with the characteristic black seed specks in ice cream, whipped cream and premium cakes.
Artificial vanilla
Vanillin synthesised from guaiacol or lignin, or ethyl vanillin, which is about three times stronger. Cheap and heat-stable, but one-dimensional and lacking the complexity of natural vanilla (over 200 aroma compounds). Labels must state clearly that it is an artificial flavour.
| Type | Origin | Character | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madagascar beans | Madagascar | Warm, creamy, classic, high vanillin | Cakes, ice cream, custard |
| Tahitian beans | French Polynesia, Papua | Floral, cherry-like | Cold creams, fruit, drinks |
| Powder | Milled beans | Dry, easy to dose | Biscuits, coffee, dry mixes |
| Natural liquid / concentrated extract | Alcohol extraction | Blends instantly | Creams, custards, batters |
| Paste | Extract + seeds | Visible seed specks | Ice cream, Chantilly cream |
| Artificial | Synthetic vanillin | Direct, heat-stable | Volume production, baking |
Quality standards and grades
Vanilla beans are governed by ISO 5565 (parts 1 and 2: specification and test methods), with vanillin determined by liquid chromatography (ISO 5565-2 or HPLC). The Egyptian standard for vanilla adopts similar limits, and the European code of practice for vanilla flavourings sets the naming rules (natural, nature-identical, artificial). Madagascar trade grades are Grade A/Gourmet (whole, unsplit, glossy, 30–35 % moisture), Grade B/Extraction (drier, with splits or blemishes) and cuts.
| Parameter | Typical range or limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture (gourmet beans) | 25–38 % | ISO 5565 maximum 38 % |
| Moisture (extraction beans) | ≤ 25 % | Typical |
| Vanillin | 1.5–2.5 % Bourbon, 1–1.5 % Tahitian | Typical; the standard requires ≥ 1.2 % for first grade |
| Bean length | 14–20 cm for first grade | Longer beans cost more |
| Total ash | ≤ 7 % | Maximum |
| Mould and damaged beans | Not permitted | Visual check of every bundle |
| Coumarin in extract | Not detected | Indicates adulteration with Mexican tonka vanilla |
Judging by the senses: a good bean is dark, glossy and supple enough to wrap around a finger without cracking, oily to the touch, full of seeds and rich with a sweet creamy aroma free of smoke or mustiness. Fine white crystals on the bean (vanillin frost or givre) are a mark of quality, not a defect. Natural extract is amber-brown with a complex nose; a clear or very dark caramel-coloured liquid with a sharp sweet smell is usually synthetic.
Beans versus extract and processing
Green beans pass through four traditional stages: blanching in water at 63–65 °C, sweating in lined boxes for a week, slow sun-and-shade drying for a month and conditioning in closed boxes for three months while the aroma matures. To use a bean, split it lengthwise and scrape out the seeds; the empty pod can be simmered in milk or buried in sugar. Extract is easier to dose consistently, and paste combines the best of both.
Culinary uses across the Arab world
- Egypt: cakes, biscuits and petits fours, rice pudding and muhallabia, crème caramel, Eid kahk and umm ali.
- Iraq: kleicha with dates and walnuts, Mosul sweets, modern baklava and home cakes.
- Levant: maamoul, ghraybeh and cream kunafa, and chilled desserts such as layali lubnan.
- Gulf: ice cream and Western-style sweets, and added to lattes and saffron milk.
Dosage: one teaspoon of extract (5 ml), half a bean or a quarter teaspoon of powder per 500 g of flour or litre of milk. Vanilla pairs with cinnamon, cardamom, mastic, coffee, chocolate and fruit.
Storage and shelf life
Beans: wrap in wax paper inside an airtight glass jar in a cool dark place and open monthly to air them; they stay supple for two years. Do not refrigerate, as condensation encourages mould. Liquid extract: in a dark bottle in a cool place, it keeps for years. Powder and paste: sealed, 12–24 months.
Traditional and health benefits
Folk medicine used vanilla as a calming tonic and mood enhancer, and its scent is used in aromatherapy to ease anxiety. Vanillin shows antioxidant and antimicrobial activity in laboratory studies, but the amounts used in food are far too small to be therapeutic. Alcohol-based extract is unsuitable for those avoiding alcohol; powder or alcohol-free paste are alternatives.
The Sheikh Al-Attareen range
- Madagascar Vanilla Beans
- Tahitian Vanilla Beans
- Vanilla Powder 100 g
- Vanilla Powder 500 g
- Natural Liquid Vanilla 30 ml
- Natural Liquid Vanilla 100 ml
- Concentrated Vanilla Extract
- Vanilla Paste
- Artificial Vanilla
We import vanilla beans from licensed exporters in Madagascar and Polynesia with a certificate of analysis for every lot covering moisture, vanillin content and absence of mould and coumarin, and inspect every bundle visually on arrival at our warehouses. Beans and powders are packed in opaque airtight containers at our plant in Mansoura with clear labelling of natural or artificial, and are available in our branches in Egypt, Baghdad, Erbil and Homs and through our online store.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Madagascar and Tahitian vanilla?
Madagascar is warm, creamy, high in vanillin and stands up to baking; Tahitian is floral and cherry-like with less vanillin and is preferred for cold creams and drinks.
Is artificial vanilla harmful?
Synthetic vanillin is an approved flavouring in Egypt, Iraq and the EU within usage limits, but it is flavour-poor compared with natural vanilla; it suits volume production where cost comes first.
How do I use a vanilla bean?
Split it lengthwise with a knife, scrape the seeds into your mixture, and simmer the empty pod in milk or bury it in a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar.
White crystals appeared on my beans. Is that mould?
If they are fine, glossy, melt when rubbed and smell of vanilla, they are vanillin crystals and a sign of high quality. Mould is fuzzy, grey or green and smells damp.