Homemade Cream Soda

Before you start

Despite the name, traditional cream soda contains no cream. It is a clear, golden soda flavored with vanilla, and its creaminess is an impression made by vanilla and caramel notes together. The quality of the vanilla decides almost everything, so a split vanilla bean simmered in the syrup is worth the cost here.

A blend of white and light brown sugar gives the syrup a gentle butterscotch depth without hiding the vanilla. Pure vanilla extract stirred in after cooking boosts the aroma that heat drives off. Mix with very cold soda water for a familiar, mellow soda. If you want an actual creamy drink, see the variation with half-and-half.

Ingredients

• Vanilla syrup200 ml (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp) water
• 130 g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar
• 70 g (⅓ cup packed) light brown sugar
• 1 vanilla bean — split lengthwise
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 pinch fine salt
• Per glass40 ml (1⅓ oz) vanilla syrup
• 200 ml (6¾ oz) cold soda water

Method

1. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a paring knife and scrape the seeds into the saucepan. Add the pod as well.
2. Add the water, both sugars and the salt. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup looks clear and amber.
3. Bring just to a simmer and cook gently for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the syrup, pod and all, into a jar and let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
5. For each drink, fill a tall glass with ice, add 40 ml syrup, and top with 200 ml soda water. Stir gently once and taste; add a little more syrup if you prefer it sweeter.

Tips for success

• Leave the vanilla pod in the jar. It keeps infusing the syrup and the flavor grows deeper over the first week.
• A pinch of salt sounds odd but makes vanilla taste fuller and keeps the syrup from tasting cloying.
• Used vanilla pods from baking still have plenty of flavor. Two spent pods can stand in for one fresh bean.

Substitutions

Vanilla bean

Use 2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, added after cooking. The flavor is a little flatter but still good.

Light brown sugar

All white sugar gives a paler, purer vanilla soda. Demerara adds a deeper toffee note.

Soda water

Strongly carbonated water from a siphon gives a sharper fizz that stands up to the sweet syrup. Mineral water adds saltiness.

Variations

Creamy vanilla soda

After topping with soda, float 20 ml cold half-and-half on top and stir lightly at the table.

Maple cream soda

Replace the brown sugar with 60 ml dark maple syrup, added with the water.

Troubleshooting

The vanilla flavor is weak

Heat dulls vanilla. Steep the bean covered, add extract only after cooking, and let the syrup sit a day before using.

The soda tastes too sweet

Reduce the syrup to 30 ml per glass, or add a small squeeze of lemon to lift it.

Crystals form in the jar

Undissolved sugar seeded crystals. Make sure the sugar is fully dissolved before simmering; gently rewarm the syrup to fix it.

Storage

Store the syrup in a closed jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Discard it if it turns cloudy or moldy. Mix each soda just before serving.