1. Place sugar in a medium bowl. Using a sharp paring knife, halve vanilla beans lengthwise. Scrape vanilla seeds from the pod into the sugar using the side of the knife. Mix vanilla seeds and sugar using your finger tips or a fork, to evenly distribute the seeds throughout the sugar. Strain sugar mixture through a fine mesh sieve into an airtight container. Halve vanilla pods crosswise, and submerge them in sugar. Cover and store in an airtight container up to 3 months.