Discover This Natural Product That Tastes Just Like Vanilla for 1/12th the Price!

If we had a stock exchange for ingredients, vanilla would be a blue chip. Like caviar, truffles, and saffron, its value never declines. Most often, you reluctantly settle for vanilla extract or vanilla sugar. However, for special occasions, you might treat yourself to a pod or two, enjoying it as nobility might have during the spice trade era. Yet, there exists a lesser-known ingredient with a strikingly similar aroma to vanilla. Charlie, a contestant from Paul Pairet’s team, featured it in episode 8 of Top Chef. In his revamped Saint-Honoré, he flavored his whipped cream with it, impressing Michelin inspectors and securing his spot in the final rounds.

This ingredient is the best-kept secret among pastry chefs. Even Ladurée has incorporated it into one of their macarons. In Quebec, it’s frequently used and known as “boreal vanilla” or “northern vanilla”… but it’s also cultivated in France, particularly in Tarn and Lot-et-Garonne. Available in powder or grain form, it can be easily purchased from herbal shops, local specialty stores, or online. Its price? It blows the competition out of the water. For a 250-gram packet, which yields 15 to 20 uses, expect to pay around 6 euros. That’s less than 24 euros per kilogram… compared to over 300 for vanilla!

Its name? Sweet clover, which translates from ancient Greek as “honey flower.” It’s a poetic name it earns from its sweet taste, beloved by bees. “It’s a vanilla substitute and that’s its main draw, yet it also offers a different complexity: it’s a bold flavor, but gentler and more floral than vanilla,” according to chef Émile Tremblay interviewed by La Presse.

To fully develop its flavors, Vanessa Vialette, a sweet clover producer, suggests “infusing it in milk or butter for about ten minutes”. The ideal amount according to her? “3 grams per person or serving”. If you decide to prepare a flan with it, it’s likely your guests will be drawn to the kitchen by its delightful vanilla scent.