Vanilla extract contains vanillin as well as hundreds of other beneficial compounds. It’s made by mashing vanilla pods in a solution of alcohol and water, then filtering.

Vanilla Essence is artificial. It contains vanillin and no other compounds. It’s made by artificially synthesising vanillin from petrochemicals such as glyoxilic acid.

Vanilla can be used as a substitute for sugar to a certain extent. It both releases and enhances flavours, working to give your food that extra taste without the extra sugar. Studies have also hinted at the idea that the aroma of vanilla can stave off sugar cravings, although this is yet to be proven.

Our recipe page includes healthy savoury and sweet options from the LittlePod Diet blog, by our good friend, Harriet Beesley.

Yes, the LittlePod product range is suitable for vegans, as well as being kosher and gluten-free.

With the LittlePod vanilla products, it’s simple.

One vanilla pod = 1 tbsp vanilla extract = 1 tsp of vanilla paste

Real, natural vanilla is made up of over 250 well-being complex compounds. It contains natural up-lifters and calmatives – used in a recipe with chilli; it acts to calm the chilli. Working in a recipe with more subtle flavours; it acts to uplift and enhance them.

You can use the chocolate extract in anything where you want to add a chocolate flavour, whether it is a sweet or savoury recipe. If you want to use less hard chocolate within a recipe, or if you are using a cheaper hard chocolate to keep costs down, you can add a little quality and luxury with the chocolate extract.

If you want to make something light, for example, tiramisu, chocolate extract is more suitable than hard chocolate. It is lighter than hard chocolate but with all the flavour and no sugar added. You can even use it savoury dishes such as Chilli Con Carne.

We love it as a twist in meringue topped with vanilla cream and raspberries!

If you are a chef or budding cook, then the full experience of splitting and deseeding the pod from scratch is probably for you (there is nothing like the aroma of a freshly split organic Madagascan vanilla pod).

However, if you want the same result as using a pod (both visually and taste-wise) in order to impress your family and friends, but don’t want the hassle and wastage that comes with splitting and deseeding the pods, then go for the vanilla paste.

For a lighter bake and in larger batches, the pure vanilla extract is perfect.

Natural Vanilla Paste – 3 years from opening (kept at an ambient temp)

Pure Vanilla Extract – 3 years from opening (kept at an ambient temp)

Pure Chocolate Extract – 2 years (kept at an ambient temp)

Pure Coffee Extract – 12 months (kept at an ambient temp – no alcohol carrier)

Vanilla Pods – 5 years at least (kept in airtight container at an ambient temp)

In order to be called an extract, a process must take place. This process folds and filters the vanilla pods through a mix of alcohol and water. The first extraction produces a fold-1 vanilla extract; the second extraction produces a more concentrated fold-2 vanilla extract, and so on. The alcohol carrier keeps the vanilla stable and gives it a long shelf life without the need for sugary preservatives which will not bake off. The alcohol evaporates at 48°c (warm drink temperature).

Our 100ml retail bottles are filled with fold-1 vanilla extract, which is perfect for home-bakers. We also offer a fold-2 vanilla extract, which we sell in 1 litre bottles and recommend for bakeries and cake-makers making larger quantities. In addition, we also have a 1 litre of fold-3 vanilla extract, which is perfect for ice-cream makers.

We strive to ensure that every aspect of what we’re involved in, from pod picking to package recycling, is as sustainable, ethical and conscientious as possible. This is reflected in everything we do, from our choice of supplier to our packaging materials (such as aluminium and glass, which are widely recyclable). Our values are endorsed by companies such as Daylesford Organic and Planet Organic, who stock our products, and verified by sustainability expert Patricia Rain, who is an inspirational figure in the world of vanilla. She works tirelessly on behalf of growers worldwide to promote fair trade and reduce opacity in the industry. Patricia has endorsed LittlePod from the beginning, and with her ongoing support it is our desire to increase the use of real vanilla, raise awareness of the habitats that support its cultivation and minimise the environmental impact of distribution and disposal of our products. Visit our responsibly sourced page on the website to see her on film.