Gourmet Extract, Alcohol-Free Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste – Which One Should You Choose?
Vanilla products can differ not only in flavour, but also in consistency, seed content and the type of result they create. At Vanilla Scientific, we offer three Madagascar Bourbon vanilla products: Gourmet Vanilla Extract, Classic Alcohol-Free Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Bean Paste.
Gourmet Vanilla Extract
Gourmet Extract is a versatile choice for everyday use. It has a richer, thicker consistency than our Classic Alcohol-Free Extract and contains 1% real vanilla seeds, adding both rich vanilla flavour and a beautiful visual finish.
Perfect for cakes, creams, ice cream, mousses, desserts and drinks.
Classic Alcohol-Free Vanilla Extract
Our Classic Alcohol-Free Extract is alcohol-free, seed-free and has no added sugar, with a light, fluid consistency. It blends easily into recipes and is ideal when you want a smooth, uniform finish without visible vanilla seeds.
Especially suitable for buttercream, whipped cream, baked goods, ice cream and drinks.
Vanilla Bean Paste
Vanilla Bean Paste is the thickest of the three products and contains 1.5% real vanilla seeds. Its richer consistency and higher seed content make it ideal for desserts where you want a more pronounced vanilla presence and visible vanilla seeds.
Perfect for pastry creams, panna cotta, crème brûlée, mousses, fillings, ganache, glazes and ice cream.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Gourmet Extract if you are looking for a versatile vanilla product with visible real vanilla seeds.
Choose Classic Alcohol-Free Extract if you prefer a lighter consistency, a smooth, uniform texture with no seeds and no added sugar.
Choose Vanilla Bean Paste if you want a thicker consistency, more vanilla seeds and a more pronounced vanilla effect.
All three are made with Madagascar Bourbon vanilla and are alcohol-free, Halal, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free.
| Gourmet Vanilla Extract | Classic Alcohol-Free Vanilla Extract | Vanilla Bean Paste | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla origin | Madagascar Bourbon | Madagascar Bourbon | Madagascar Bourbon |
| Consistency | Richer, thicker consistency than the Classic Extract | Light and fluid | Thick, paste-like consistency |
| Real vanilla seeds | 1% | Seed-free | 1.5% |
| Alcohol-free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No added sugar | No | Yes | No |
| Ingredients | Glucose syrup, Bourbon vanilla extract, glycerin, vanilla seeds | Glycerin, water, Bourbon vanilla extract | Glucose syrup, Bourbon vanilla extract, glycerin, vanilla seeds (1.5%), xanthan gum, guar gum |
| Best for | Versatile use: baking, creams, ice cream, mousses, desserts and drinks | Buttercream, whipped cream, baked goods, ice cream and drinks | Pastry creams, panna cotta, crème brûlée, mousses, fillings, ganache, glazes and ice cream |
| Main advantage | Rich vanilla flavour with visible vanilla seeds | Smooth, uniform texture with no seeds and no added sugar | Thicker texture, more vanilla seeds and a more pronounced vanilla effect |
| Available sizes | 100 ml, 200 ml, 500 ml, 1 L | 100 ml, 200 ml, 500 ml, 1 L | 270 g, 660 g |
| Halal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gluten-free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lactose-free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
