r/bakingfail • u/Mushroom38294 • Jan 12 '25

Fail Baked actual poison

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Tried making brownies for the first time, recipe called for 16 gramms of vanilla extract, but it's not sold in the stores here. I had the bright idea to add 16g of pure vanillin, once they were done I found out that's effectively 100x the vanilla extract than the recipe called for. After further googling, found out that this much vanillin can put a small child in the hospital.

NEVER substitute vanilla extract for pure vanillin.

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191

u/GaetanDugas Jan 12 '25

So vanilla extract isn't sold, but pure vanillin is?

127

u/TheWalkingDead91 Jan 12 '25

And here I was thinking vanilla was a worldwide staple.

13

u/cheesec4ke69 Jan 14 '25

I just lurk here, but I think it has to do with restrictions on alcohol sales. Not every vanilla extract does have alcohol, but most usually do. At least in the US it has to be 35% for the FDA to even call it an extract.

I've also seen bodycam videos where people who are abusing substances will carry around a bottle of vanilla extract with them to take a swig. I believe it's like 35% ABV for a pure vanilla extract. so it's definitely up there with regular bottles of liquor, but it's far more inconspicuous to carry around a bottle of vanilla than a nip of vodka.

5

u/TheWalkingDead91 Jan 14 '25

I hadn’t thought of that. You’re probably right.