Place your sugar in an airtight container. Cut the bean lengthwise in half, exposing the thousands of flavorful seeds inside. With the back of a knife, scrape out all the seeds and mix into the sugar.
Place the scraped bean in the sugar as it will have oils the sugar will absorb. If extra strong vanilla is desired, use two beans.
Before using the sugar, let it sit for at least two weeks, stirring occasionally. This allows the oils and flavors to distribute.