The Genius Way To Measure Vanilla Extract, According To Christina Tosi
Baking is about precision. If you want your great-grandmother's red velvet cake or your Aunt Mabel's walnut compost cookies to taste the same every time, measurements count. This is why measuring cups and spoons are among a baker's most valuable tools. They make getting just the right amount of flour, sugar, milk, and butter that much easier. However, if you want to save yourself a teaspoon, you may want to adopt pastry chef and Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi's genius way to measure vanilla extract. Tosi shared with The Kitchn that the little red cap of McCormick's version of this ingredient can serve as a measuring spoon.
Tosi's revelation is a little mind-blowing, and there is some real efficiency to this hack. If you keep a 4-ounce bottle of McCormick's vanilla extract in your pantry, the little red cap holds exactly 3/4 of a teaspoon of liquid, while the cap of a 2-ounce bottle holds about 1/2 teaspoon. And when you reach those very last drops of this flavor enhancer, you can add some bourbon or rum to it to maximize its use.
How to measure one teaspoon with the cap
If you decide to use this vanilla extract measuring-cap trick, remember to keep the lid clean so it is always ready for your baked good undertakings. Just rinse it with some warm water to avoid any vanilla extract buildup. Additionally, many recipes call for a full teaspoon. If that's the case, add a cap, full to the brim, of vanilla, and give it a little extra splash to account for the other quarter teaspoon. What if you accidentally add a little more than a splash? Don't worry. Vanilla extract is pretty forgiving. Because alcohol is its base ingredient, it tends to burn off while baking.
Why does it matter? Measuring ingredients is not a new thing. Cultures have used English walnuts to measure butter and wine glasses to measure liquid. It was Fannie Farmer who standardized these amounts with measuring cups and spoons. These essential kitchen tools made it easier to get the results a baker would want on repeat. Farmer's culinary contribution paved the way for professional bakers like Christina Tosi and home cooks alike.