Bourbon Gold® Vanilla Beans

Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar - Bourbon Gold ® Refining in a trunk

When we think of vanilla, we inevitably think of Madagascar. Bourbon vanilla is an appellation that includes several countries: Madagascar, Comoros, Mayotte, Mauritius, Reunion. Since the beginning of the 20th century, vanilla has been planted in Madagascar. It quickly gained international fame thanks to the quality of its refining and its aroma. The industry and the great pastry chefs swear by this origin. Although the vanilla industry is going through a difficult period with high prices, the love that consumers have for this vanilla remains intact.

Today, Madagascar is the first producer of vanilla with 80% of the world's harvest each year.



Its aromatic amplitude enchants us, it becomes for some an addiction.

I prefer it in sweet recipes. For example, when I prepare a crème brûlée, a floating island or simply a poached pear. These are quick and easy recipes to show you the quality of your Bourbon vanilla. You will discover all its aromatic amplitude and all its cocoa and dried fruit notes in this type of preparation.

How did David Vanille discover Bourbon vanilla?

I have always loved trade, travel, and people. When I was 18 years old, I used to go to markets and flea markets to sell chocolate bread and Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar to "make a buck". I was fascinated by the smell of Bourbon vanilla. Every year, I would buy it several times on the internet and sell it to customers on weekends.

I would explain and praise the quality of Madagascar, its sensual nose, its cocoa notes. Without knowing it, I had fallen into the pot like Obelix, but unlike the magic potion, it was in the world of vanilla.

When I went to Lille to do my Bac +2, I continued to sell vanilla on the Wazemmes market, on flea markets and in front of the Super U in Breteuil. The two franchisees allowed me to set up my little table in front of the entrance of their store.

I went to India for the first time that same year thanks to my savings. I discovered an extraordinary country, wonderful people and especially the passion of my life: spices and Vanilla.

My first trip to Madagascar was in 2012. Landing in Antananarivo, the capital, and flight to Sambava a few hours later.

First sensation, an omnipresent smell of vanilla as soon as I got off the plane.

The harvest had just been done, the pods were spread out on jute bags in the exporters' yards, in front of some stores, along the roads.

I thought I was dreaming. A dream come true!



Meeting with my contacts on the spot, women and men who make the magic of this spice even greater.

Visit of the plantations, producers, collectors, setting up of the specifications, discovery of the vanilla country.

If I managed to get there, it was thanks to my clients who trusted me. They are the ones who pushed me to go ahead, who gave me the chance to live my passion at 200%.

Today, Bourbon vanilla remains my first love.

I made great discoveries during my many trips to the plantations, but the first love is the one that takes us to places that were unknown at the time.

It took a lot of perseverance to understand how to improve the quality of my imports.

Changing partners, finding a team, a woman to be precise, who helped me in my learning, my vanilla sensibility, my selections of the best vintages of Madagascar.

We can only build a real partnership on the basis of mutual trust.

After more than 12 years of searching for the best vintages in the world, by acquiring a discipline, a know-how, I manage to propose a vanilla from Madagascar that is off the beaten track.

Is my Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar better than the others?

If I had to tell you only one thing, it is that Vanilla is my Life. When I sell one of my selections, it is a little bit of me that I am offering.

I receive samples all year long. I choose from the best lots, the one that makes me "vibrate".

I do my best so that the price of my selections follows the market price, as close as possible. The quality of my vanilla and my spices is my signature. Vanilla beans, vanilla grains on the surface, a very greedy set, ideal to discover the Bourbon vanilla of Madagascar. A refining of several months for a bluffing result in the pastries!
The smaller the size of the vanilla pods, the more pods you will have per kilo. The aromatic will be greedy and vanilla but less precise than a vanilla of a superior size.

*** Bourbon Vanilla from Madagascar

The best of the harvest, a quality that reaches excellence between 28 and 37% humidity (more aromatic amplitude), offers cocoa notes on a buttery-creamy whole. A unique quality and a David Vanille signature.
Vanilla beans that represent a tiny percentage of the harvest. Always in search of exceptional pods, with a very long maturation period as in the past, this quality is for lovers of rare and high quality products.

If you wish to treat yourself, you will be charmed!

How to store your Bourbon vanilla beans from Madagascar?

Click here to know how to store your vanilla beans

To take full advantage of its aromatic palette, take care to split your pod along its entire length, remove the seeds and integrate the whole into your recipe.

Recipes with my Bourbon vanilla beans from Madagascar

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Ingredients: 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 4 egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean, brown sugar

Preparation: Preheat oven to 160°C. In a saucepan, heat the cream, milk and vanilla scraped from the pod. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns white. Slowly pour the hot milk-cream mixture over the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture into ramekins and place them in an ovenproof dish filled with hot water. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool and sprinkle with brown sugar. Caramelize the sugar with a blowtorch.

Apple and Bourbon Vanilla Tart from Madagascar

Ingredients: Shortcrust pastry, 4 apples, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1 egg, 1/4 cup milk.

Preparation: Preheat oven to 200°C. Peel and cut the apples into thin slices. In a bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. Roll out the shortcrust pastry in a pie pan. Arrange the apple slices on the pastry. Pour the sugar-flour-cinnamon-vanilla mixture over the apples. In another bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Pour this mixture on the pie. Bake for 30 minutes.

Strawberry jam with Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar

Ingredients: 1 kg of strawberries, 1,5 cup of sugar, 1 Bourbon vanilla pod from Madagascar, the juice of half a lemon

Preparation: Wash, hull and cut strawberries into small pieces. Put them in a saucepan with the sugar, vanilla seeds and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly. When the jam has reached the desired consistency, remove from heat. Pour the jam into sterilized jars and seal them.

Bourbon vanilla custard from Madagascar

Ingredients: 4 egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean

Preparation: In a saucepan, heat the milk and the vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns white. Slowly pour the hot milk over the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour into a clean saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the spoon. Remove from heat and let cool before serving.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Pancakes

Ingredients: 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 cup milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla pod

Preparation: In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and oil. Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Split the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds and add to the batter. Cook the pancakes in a hot, oiled pan.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Cherry Pie

Ingredients: Shortcrust pastry, 4 cups pitted cherries, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll out the shortcrust pastry in a pie pan. In a bowl, mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. Pour this mixture over the cherries and mix well. Pour over the dough. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Granola

Ingredients: 3 cups of rolled oats, 1 cup of cashews, 1 cup of pecans, 1/2 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean

Preparation: Preheat oven to 150°C. In a bowl, mix the oats, cashews and pecans. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. Add them to the mixture. In a small saucepan, heat the honey, coconut oil and salt. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool before eating.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Custard

Ingredients: 2 cups milk, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean, 4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour

Preparation: In a saucepan, heat the milk and the vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and flour until the mixture turns white. Slowly pour the hot milk over the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour into a clean saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens. Remove from heat and let cool before serving.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Caramel

Ingredients: 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean

Preparation: In a saucepan, heat sugar and water over medium heat. Do not stir, but shake the pan to mix. Cook until the caramel is golden brown. In another saucepan, heat the cream and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. Remove the caramel pan from the heat and slowly add the cream, stirring constantly. Return the pan to the heat and simmer until the desired consistency is reached.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean, 1 cup butter

Preparation: Preheat oven to 180°C. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. Add the butter and work the dough until it is homogeneous. Form dough into balls and place on a baking sheet. Flatten them slightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Tiramisu

Ingredients: 2 cups strong coffee, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup rum, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean, 2 cups mascarpone cheese, 1 cup heavy cream, 24 sponge cookies, cocoa powder

Preparation: In a bowl, combine coffee, sugar, rum and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. In another bowl, mix mascarpone and cream until smooth. Dip the cookies in the coffee mixture and arrange them in a dish. Top with a layer of mascarpone. Repeat until all ingredients are used up. Sprinkle with cocoa powder before serving.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean

Preparation: In a saucepan, heat the cream, milk and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. In a bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until the mixture turns white. Slowly pour the hot milk-cream mixture over the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour into a clean saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and allow to cool according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Filet mignon with Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar

Ingredients: 4 filet mignon, 1 Bourbon vanilla pod from Madagascar, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. In a bowl, mix the vanilla seeds, honey and balsamic vinegar. Brush the fillets with this mixture. Heat a skillet over high heat and brown the tenderloins on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Hot Chocolate with Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla

Ingredients: 4 cups of milk, 1 cup of heavy cream, 200 g of dark chocolate, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 Bourbon vanilla pod from Madagascar

Preparation: In a saucepan, heat the milk, cream, vanilla seeds scraped from the pod and sugar. Add the chocolate pieces and stir until melted. Serve warm.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Smoothie

Ingredients: 2 cups almond milk, 1 banana, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean, honey to taste

Preparation: Blend the almond milk, banana, vanilla seeds scraped from the pod and honey in a blender. Serve chilled.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean

Preparation: In a saucepan, heat the cream, milk and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. In a bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until the mixture turns white. Slowly pour the hot milk-cream mixture over the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour into a clean saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and allow to cool according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Muffins

Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean

Preparation: Preheat oven to 180°C. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, mix the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod. Stir the flour mixture into the milk mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour batter into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Chicken

Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla pod, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. In a bowl, mix the vanilla seeds, honey, soy sauce and vegetable oil. Brush the chicken thighs with this mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Syrup

Ingredients: 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, 1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean

Preparation: In a saucepan, heat water and sugar over medium heat until sugar is melted. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. Add them to the pan. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve to remove the vanilla seeds.