What is single fold vanilla extract vs. double fold vanilla extract?
The vanilla extract that can be bought on the supermarket shelf is called single fold extract. The government (through the FDA) actually regulates the amount of vanilla beans that must be used in order for a product to be labeled as Pure Vanilla Extract. In the case of single fold vanilla extract, it’s a little more than 3/4 pound of vanilla beans per gallon of alcohol – that’s right, vanilla extract is 35% alcohol, or 70 proof! Double fold vanilla extract, used more by commercial bakeries, contains double the amount of vanilla beans per gallon of alcohol. It is more expensive, but you get more vanilla flavor for the amount used.
