The Sweet Secret: Creamed Honey
Happy Spring, Honey Enthusiasts!
Honey has been cherished for centuries for its sweetness and versatility. But have you ever experienced the magic of creamed honey? If not, you're in for a treat! We made some batches of it this week to replenish our stock and thought you might like to learn more about it. Creamed honey is a delightful variation of our beloved liquid sweetener, offering a smooth, spreadable texture and a host of culinary possibilities. In this blog post, we'll explore everything you need to know about creamed honey and its uses.
What is Creamed Honey?
We've all opened up our pantries and found our honey all grainy and hard right? Don't worry, it's not gone bad or anything. Crystallization is just nature doing its thing to keep our sweet stuff preserved. Typically we can warm it gently in a pan of water to return it to its liquid state. However, creamed honey uses that crystallization to its advantage.
Creamed honey is honey that has been carefully processed to promote the formation of small sugar crystals, resulting in a creamy consistency. Unlike raw honey, which can crystallize naturally over time, creamed honey undergoes a controlled crystallization process to achieve its smooth texture. The crystals are ground finely and these act as tiny starting points for smaller crystals to form throughout. Using this process, Fingerlakes Honey Company started making creamed honey by adding our finely ground crystallized honey to our liquid honey. Once we actually had our first batch, we saved some creamed honey to use as seed for the next batch. That makes things a lot easier. (Think of it like sour dough starter, once you have it going, you just add more to make more batches.) We like to make our creamed honey with a ratio of between 1:7 to 1:10 (seed:liquid). As you mix it, the color becomes pale (almost white) and gets a creamy texture. It has a smooth spreadable consistency, which is very convenient if you like to eat your honey with a spoon. It also makes a great spread on homemade bread, on top of butter, sprinkled with some cinnamon, or topped with our Honey Jams, Jellies, and Spreads. The flavor is incredible, and it kicks any regular honey up to another level. Can you make it yourself at home with our honey? Sure can. But if you don't have the time to, we do all the work for you.
Uses of Creamed Honey:
Creamed honey is just as bee-licious as liquid honey because that is exactly what it is. It just has a more spreadable consistency. Some people think it has dairy added or that it's just whipped honey, but those are not true. Creamed Honey is definitely a cool science experiment that tastes amazing. If you haven't tried it, you should. But how do you use it? Here are some ideas for you to try:
1. Spread it on Toast: One of the simplest and most delightful ways to enjoy creamed honey is spread generously on warm toast. The creamy texture makes it easy to spread, while the rich flavor adds a touch of sweetness to your morning routine.
2. Sweeten Beverages: Whether you're stirring it into a cup of tea or drizzling it over your morning oatmeal, creamed honey is a versatile sweetener that adds a subtle depth of flavor to any beverage.
3. Enhance Baking: Creamed honey can elevate your baking game by adding moisture, flavor, and sweetness to a wide range of recipes. From cookies and cakes to muffins and bread, incorporating creamed honey can yield deliciously tender and flavorful results.
4. Pair with Cheese: For a sophisticated and indulgent treat, pair creamed honey with your favorite cheeses. The creamy texture and delicate sweetness of the honey complement the savory notes of cheese, creating a harmonious balance of flavors.
5. Use in Salad Dressings: Create unique and flavorful salad dressings by incorporating creamed honey as a sweetening agent. Combine it with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and herbs for a deliciously sweet and tangy dressing that will elevate any salad.
6. Glaze Meats and Vegetables: Give your grilled meats and roasted vegetables a mouthwatering finish by brushing them with a glaze made from creamed honey. The honey caramelizes beautifully, adding a glossy sheen and irresistible sweetness to your dishes.
7. Mix into Yogurt or Oatmeal: Stir a dollop of creamed honey into your favorite yogurt or oatmeal for a decadent breakfast or snack. The creamy texture and natural sweetness of the honey will take your morning routine to the next level.
Creamed honey is truly a culinary gem, offering a smooth texture, rich flavor, and endless versatility. Whether you're spreading it on toast, sweetening your beverages, or experimenting with creative recipes, creamed honey is sure to delight your taste buds and elevate your culinary creations. So why not indulge in a jar of this delightful honey variety and discover the sweet secret of creamed honey for yourself? Your taste buds will thank you!
Beesness Update- The redecorated and organized office is pretty much complete. We hope to post about it soon. Yay! Also Spring officially started last night. We can't wait for the weather to stay nice (we had some snow flurries yesterday) so the flowers will start blooming and our ladies can get doing what they love- working. We also experienced a first-time event this past weekend: a bee hive cut out from our neighbors' barn down the road. Tom got a chance to use his bee vac for the first time, to help neighbors to bee safe on their property, help the bees find a better home where we can take care of them, and a small amount of honey comb to savor. It has been quite the week- and it's only March!
Until next time.
Stay Sweet,
Tom and Stacie
Fingerlakes Honey Company
Tom & Stacie Filer
Tom and Stacie are the co-owners of Fingerlakes Honey Company located in the bee-utiful Fingerlakes region of New York State. When they are not tending to all things bees, they enjoy spending time with their grown children, their dog, and lots of chickens on their homestead. They love learning more about the bees they foster and helping others to learn more about them as well.
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