25 vanilla bean recipes

Vanilla bean chocolate chip cookies with real vanilla bean seeds scraped into buttery dough. The vanilla beans create flecked, fragrant cookies with sophisticated flavor and optional walnuts for crunch.

Poaching pears in red wine is a classic way to make pears into a dessert. Pears are poached in red wine with star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks infused, which makes the pears tender, soft and tasty. Serve the warm pear with the syrup sauce and some good quality ice cream.

The combination of black beans and sweet potato gives these brownies a moreish, moist quality. These are great for kids as they contain no added sugar or trans-fats (you may wish to omit the coffee and substitute cacao powder if serving to youngsters, though).

Warm and soft pears poached in wine with vanilla and blue cheese.

Dried prunes, apricots, and pears slow-cooked with vanilla bean, lemon zest, and a touch of sugar until thick and jammy. Make it on the stovetop or set-and-forget in a crockpot.

A show-stopping rhubarb tart in an almond pastry shell, served with fresh strawberry-kirsch sauce and homemade cinnamon ice cream. Three components, one unforgettable spring dessert.

Poires Belle Helene, the classic French dessert of vanilla-poached pears served with vanilla ice cream and warm dark chocolate sauce. Elegant and timeless.

Ruby pears poached in Beaujolais wine with currant jelly, rosemary, vanilla bean, and whole cloves. Pressure cooked and chilled 24 hours for deep ruby color.

A scrumptious dish made with potatoes, gruyere cheese and juicy apples.

Figs in Cabernet Sauvignon with Almond Ice Cream recipe

Kutia, a traditional Polish Christmas pudding made with wheat berries, ground poppy seeds, honey, walnuts, almonds, figs, dates, and rum-soaked currants. A treasured holiday dessert.

Spiced cranberry relish caramelizes sugar, then cooks fresh cranberries with diced orange, lime, raisins, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla bean for a complex holiday relish that improves with time.

Whole pears poached in spiced white wine with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla bean, and citrus zest, served warm with burnt sugar ice cream. An elegant make-ahead dessert.

Banana chocolate cream dessert layered over rum-soaked coconut macaroons with homemade custard, whipped cream, and grated chocolate. An elegant no-bake showstopper.

A showstopper Boston cream pie with four layers of airy genoise, white chocolate pastry cream between each layer, a glossy dark chocolate ganache coating, and fresh raspberries on top. Patisserie-level dessert.

Whole wheat muffins made with pureed anasazi beans, molasses, and carob. No butter, no oil, all blender. Moist, earthy, and packed with fiber and protein.