Have you tried VANILLA BEAN PASTE?

I bought this stuff a while back and hadn't really used it much to date. It's Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste infused with vanilla bean seeds.

Had a really rough day at the salt mines today and needed the comfort of a batch of my momma's "Boiled Cookies" (No-Bake Cookies to some of you). Threw the ingredients in the pot and remembered the Vanilla Bean Paste in the cabinet. Gave it a whirl.

The paste added a depth of real vanilla flavor to the usual pot of sugar, butter, milk, cocoa and oats. Beat the daylights out of the cheapo-vanilla my grandma used to dab behind her earlobes in place of perfume. LOL!

I'm not a big baker or dessert maker, but I might whomp up a batch of something or another this weekend just to try this stuff in something a bit more "delicate".

I bought my Vanilla Bean Paste on http://www.amazon.com/LorAnn-Extracts-Natural-Madagascar-Vanilla/dp/B001EQ5FO0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288913563&sr=8-1, but it's also available at https://www.lorannoils.com/p-8688-natur ... paste.aspx and from lots of other manufacturers and retailers.

Natural Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste is a convenient, versatile alternative to whole vanilla beans. This rich concentrated paste can be used in place of an extract. Use it to flavor cakes, puddings, cookies, custards, whipped cream and ice cream or anywhere the flavor and appearance of vanilla bean is desired.

My wife bought some at a Pampered Chef party I think.
Anyway, I've used it making vanilla ice cream and in bread pudding and I really liked the results.

I have a brand that I buy at Williams and Sonoma that I love for baking. When I make a Vanilla Bean Cake, this is what I use. You get the deep flavor, the specks, and the aroma without the cost of $8 a bean.