How to Cut Open, Scrape, and Use a Vanilla Bean

• Inspect the bean: if it is too dry it will be more challenging to extract the seeds. If too dry, the vanilla bean can be cut into pieces with a scissors and thrown into the liquid you wish to infuse. Next, mix the vanilla bean pieces with some of the liquid using a high powdered blender or an immersion blender. Pass through a sieve and save scraps to make vanilla sugar.
  
• Flatten the bean: Lay it on the cutting board and press with the back of your knife to make it easier to cut. Hold one end of the vanilla bean firmly against the cutting board. Using the knife, make a shallow lengthwise cut along the center of the bean, splitting it open without cutting all the way through (you want it to stay attached at one end, like a hinge).
  
• Open the bean like a book to expose the sticky, resinous interior. Hold one end steady and use the tip of the knife to gently scrape along the inside, collecting the tiny black seeds.
  
• The seeds will come out as a moist, paste-like clump.
  
• This is your vanilla caviar!
  
• Use the vanilla seeds immediately along with the pods in all calls-for-infusion recipes for custards, ice creams and mousses. The recommendation to maximize flavor extraction in a preheated or cold liquid is 48 hours.
  
• Don’t discard the pod! Even after scraping, the bean still has flavor. You can re-infuse it (double the amount needed for the recipe). sugar, alcohol (for extract), or cream.
  
• The number of times a vanilla bean can be reused depends on several factors, including the quality of the beans, the extraction method, and the desired strength of the final product. Generally, high-quality vanilla beans can be reused for multiple rounds of extraction, typically three times. How to make Homemade Vanilla Sugar.