Cream Honey: What It Is and How It's Made
Have you ever been frustrated with honey that crystallizes and becomes hard to spread? Enter cream honey, a smooth, spreadable delight that’s gaining popularity among honey lovers.
What is Cream Honey?
Cream honey, also known as whipped honey, is simply regular honey that has been processed to have a creamy texture. It's made by mixing crystallized honey with liquid honey and stirring it continuously for 20-50 hours at low temperatures. This process lightens the honey's color and creates a white, airy, and creamy texture. The best part? It doesn’t crystallize again, making it easy to spread on bread and use in baked goods.
Advantages of Cream Honey
Easy to Spread: Its creamy consistency makes it perfect for toast, pancakes, fruit, and more.
Retains Benefits: Cream honey keeps all the health benefits of regular honey, such as boosting immunity and acting as a natural antidepressant.
Appealing Texture: It has a pleasant, smooth texture that’s visually appealing.
Versatile Additions: You can mix cream honey with nuts, berries, or other bee products like propolis and royal jelly for added flavor and health benefits.
Storing Cream Honey
Cream honey is sensitive to heat. If stored at room temperature for too long, it can stratify, with the bottom becoming crystallised and the top turning liquid. To keep it at its best, store cream honey in a cool place.
Making Cream Honey at Home
While the industrial process of making cream honey involves pasteurization, whipping, and maintaining specific temperatures, you can make a simpler version at home using a mixer. Here’s how:
Ingredients:
9 tablespoons of liquid honey
1 tablespoon of crystallized honey
Instructions:
Mix the Honeys: Combine the liquid and crystallized honey. If you don’t have enough liquid honey, melt some crystallized honey in a warm water bath.
Cool the Mixture: Refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes.
Whip the Honey: Using a mixer, whip the mixture on low speed for 3 minutes, then increase to medium speed and whip for another 10-15 minutes. The honey will lighten in color and become creamy.
Store the Honey: Transfer the whipped honey to a glass jar and refrigerate it for several hours to set the texture.
Tips:
Homemade cream honey has a shorter shelf life than the industrial version and should be used within a week.
It’s great for pancakes, cakes, and as a healthier alternative to sugar or jam in tea.
Cream honey is a delightful treat that both adults and kids will enjoy. It’s a fantastic way to impress guests and bring joy to your household with its smooth, sweet goodness. So why not give it a try and enjoy the many benefits and delicious taste of cream honey?
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