Holiday Baking with Heilala Vanilla & Vanilla Custard Recipe {Giveaway - Ends 11/30}

Pull out your mixer and warm up the oven...the holidays are here! Baking is without a doubt an essential component to all the upcoming holiday festivities. If you're like me, you add vanilla to everything, because vanilla is delicious! Riiiiiight? 

Just in time to join your holiday baking plans are award-winning Heilala Vanilla products. All the way from New Zealand, they have a whole range of award-winning 100% pure vanilla products, including Vanilla Beans, Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Paste, Vanilla Sugar and Vanilla syrup. 

I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

About Heilala Vanilla
Heilala Vanilla began as an aid project over eight years ago, when a vanilla plantation was established by a New Zealand family, in partnership with a local family from the village of Utungake in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga. In 2005 the first crop was harvested and brought back to New Zealand, and was snapped up by local chefs.

Since these small beginnings and a first harvest of 40kg of dried vanilla pods, Heilala Vanilla has grown spectacularly, harvesting 3.5 tonne of vanilla in 2011. This has had a significant impact on the local community, providing employment and infrastructure.

Products are sold into specialty food retail and fine dining establishments and gourmet food manufacturers. Markets have been established in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States.

Retired New Zealand dairy farmer John Ross and his son-in-law Garth Boggiss, who has a horticultural background, have built up a vast knowledge of growing this very specialised crop by meeting and visiting vanilla growers in many parts of the world (including Tahiti, Reunion Is and Costa Rica). A plantation in both Tonga and in Tauranga has enabled a complete focus on the intricacies of growing vanilla. 

I received a couple Heilala Vanilla products to sample for myself. The Vanilla Syrup is a sweet syrup with a base of vanilla extract, vanilla bean and sugar. It's contains a whole vanilla bean so the rich vanilla will be present until the last drop. The syrup is great for adding to coffee and other beverages, smoothies, and as a topping on pancakes or desserts. It has a true syrup consistency and smells deliciously rich and fragrant.

The Pure Vanilla Bean Sugar is just sugar, powdered vanilla beans and vanilla extract. It has a strong vanilla essence throughout that is fabulous on or in cookies, cakes, pastries, and other baked goods.  

Looking for a super simple vanilla-infused dessert for the holidays? This homemade custard using Heilala Vanilla beans and sugar are sure to impress your party guests.

Vanilla Custard by the glass 
Makes: 2 ½ cups

Ingredients:
1 Heilala Vanilla Bean, split
2 cups full cream milk
6 egg yolks
2 tablespoons super fine sugar
1 tablespoon Heilala Vanilla sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the milk in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the vanilla bean and heat until the milk is hot but not boiling. Leave to infuse for 5-10 minutes.

In a bowl mix together the egg yolks and sugar, then add the infused milk, stirring constantly. Wipe out the saucepan and return the mixture.

Cook over a low to moderate heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens enough to lightly coat the wooden spoon.

Pour custard into a clean bowl, sprinkle with vanilla sugar to prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool, then cover and refrigerate. Remove vanilla bean before serving.

Serve vanilla custard in glasses or pour into a jug and serve with poached fruit.

Mmmm, the entire line of Heilala Vanilla goodness! Heilala Vanilla products are available at Sprouts Farmers Markets and Earth Fare stores nationwide.

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