1 cup of sugar

1 vanilla pod

Multiply ingredients as needed

Pour sugar into a mason jar or any leftover airtight jar, cut the vanilla pod lengthwise, and pop it in with the sugar, pushing it down into the jar. Close, and give the jar a good shake. Leave to flavour for a couple of weeks, although it will become more fragrant over time. Give the jar a shake every couple of days.

You can also keep topping the jar up with sugar and use any leftover vanilla pods you may have used for custard or any other recipe. Just make sure you rinse and dry the pod thoroughly from any previous recipe before placing it in with the sugar. Also, if you have a very old vanilla pod hiding at the back of your cupboard, don’t be afraid to use that too. It will still flavour your sugar nicely.

Tip: Great DIY Christmas gift, perhaps accompanied with a homemade sugar cookie mix.