If you've stood in the grocery store baking isle gaping at the price difference between pure and artificial vanilla, you'll understand why this discovery was so welcome to me.
Pure or imitation. What is the difference? They smell different. A drop on your finger reveals an obvious variance in flavor. But how important is it in cooking?
Here's the scoop: there are nearly 250 flavor compounds in pure vanilla extract. How many in imitation? One. But guess what? Almost all of those 250 flavors begin to bake out at higher temperatures. So if you are using vanilla in baking, stick with a good imitation, because honestly, no one will be able to tell the difference. If, however, it's a cold dish you're preparing, such as whipped cream, use the pure stuff for the rich, full flavor.
Keep in mind the high alcohol content (at least 35%) makes the shelf life of vanilla extract nearly indefinite. So which should you buy? One bottle of good, pure vanilla extract kept tightly sealed for the occasional cold desserts, and the rest of the time use a good quality, imitation extract for all of your everyday baking needs.
Research gleened from The Best of America's Test Kitchen.
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