For anyone who enjoys the taste of champagne, keeping a small bottle of champagne extract around the house is a good idea. Here are some ideas on how to enjoy the champagne taste of the extract in a number of different ways.
As a flavoring created to enhance the taste of all sorts of baked goods and sweet treats, champagne extract can be used in most of the same ways that persons use vanilla and other types of extracts. Essentially a concentration of champagne flavor that is not made using processed sugar or alcohol, the extract has a very strong taste and odor. This is not unusual with any type of extract, and in fact champagne extract is easily substituted for other extracts in recipes. The units of measure will be the same, so if a recipe calls for one tablespoon of vanilla extract, simply use one tablespoon of champagne extract instead.
Champagne extract can add an unexpected and pleasing taste to yellow cakes. The champagne flavoring will give the cake a slightly more adult taste, while still keeping all the fun of having a piece of cake. For persons who really enjoy the champagne taste of the extract, a few drops mixed into the white icing will reinforce the taste without allowing the combination to be too overpowering.
Along with cakes, champagne extract works well in just about any type of batter that is prepared for some sort of sweet. Fruit pastries are especially good with a hint of champagne extract added to the dough. When baking shortbread cookies, adding a little champagne extract will actually enhance the buttery flavor of the cookies, drawing out a slightly nutty taste. Even brownies can benefit from the presence of a little champagne extract, by bringing out the taste of the cocoa that is sometimes masked by the sugar used in most recipes.
Finding champagne extract is a little more difficult than picking up a bottle of vanilla or lemon extract. One good place to look for champagne extract is as gourmet food markets. As is true with many types of specialty extracts, the bottles will be small. The cost for champagne extract will also be slightly higher than the price of the more common extracts, but the added taste will make the difference in cost well worth it. Along with the food stores, champagne extract is also found in many kitchen stores, outlets that carry a line of cake decorating items, and even some upscale supermarkets.
