Honey Recipes

-Honey Hints-

Here are a few useful tips for cooking with honey:

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As a general rule, because honey can be as much as twice as sweet as sugar, when using honey in a recipes use less than the sugar amount recommended. Replace one cup of sugar with half a cup of honey. Additionally, because honey is hygroscopic (meaning it attracts water), reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey added.

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You must beat honey recipes longer and more vigorous compared to sugar recipes.

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When baking, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used. This will neutralize honey's acidity and help the cakes and pastries rise properly.

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Honey recipes brown faster than sugar recipes, so reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

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When using honey in jams, jellies, or candies, increase the cooking temperature just a bit to allow the extra liquid to evaporate.

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The flavor of the honey should be considered when cooking with honey - since honey has the power to balance, enhance or impart some of its flavor to other foods. So taste the honey before you decide which variety to use. Make sure it is a flavor that enhances your recipe.

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A 12oz. jar of honey equals one cup of honey.

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Coat your measuring cup or spoon with non-stick cooking spray before adding the honey, this way the honey will slip right out.

-Honey Recipes-

Honey Butter

1/2 cup softened butter

1/3 cup honey (Alfalfa Honey)

Blend untill smooth, then refrigerate and use as desired.

For a tasty variation, add ground cinnamon to taste.

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Honey BBQ Spareribs

4 lbs of pork spare ribs

1 cup of water

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup of honey (Gallberry Honey)

1/4 cup of lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

2 tsp. grated ginger root

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp. of rosemary crushed

1/2 tsp. crushed red chilies

1/2 tsp. ground sage

Completely cover spareribs with water in a large pot or deep skillet. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat. Simmer 4 minutes. Drain liquid, reserving it for stock for later use, if desired. Season both sides of spareribs with salt and pepper. Place spareribs on rack in roasting pan. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes.

Combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Brush spareribs with honey mixture.Bake 1 hour longer or until fully cooked, brushing with honey mixture every 15 minutes.

If using a barbecue grill:

Boil spareribs as described above, over medium heat.

Simmer 4 minutes and drain liquid.

Season both sides of spareribs with salt and pepper.

Place spareribs on barbecue grill over hot coals.

Cook approximately 30 minutes per side.

Brush meat side generously with honey mixture twice during last 15 minutes of cooking time.

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Southern Honey Peach Crisp

About 10 ripe, firm peaches

1 lemon, zested

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups honey (Clover Honey)

1 1/2 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup blueberries or raspberries (optional, but adds to the flavor)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal or granola

1/2 cup chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts (optional)

1/2 pound cold, diced unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the inside of a medium baking dish. In a large bowl, peel then slice the peaches into fairly thick wedges. Add the lemon zest, half of the honey, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and a pinch of salt and combine well. At this point you can mix in the berries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 – 10 minutes to allow the fruit to release its juices. Pour reduced peach juice over fruit, for amazing flavor collect most of the juice and put it in a small sauce pan and cook on low-medium until the juice is reduced to about half. Remove from stove and add the cinnamon and stir. Pour this mixture over the fruit. Gently mix in 2 tablespoons of flour, and then put the fruit into the prepared dish. At this point add the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of flour, and then put the fruit into the prepared dish and set aside.Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, the other half of the honey, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, nuts, oatmeal, and the cold, diced butter, using an electric mixer or your hands, combine until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the fruit. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is a nice golden brown color, crisp and the juices are bubbly.You can serve immediately, or let the crisp remain on the counter if you plan to serve it the same day. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Just reheat until warm. Serve with dollops of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This makes a wonderful dessert or even a rich breakfast with a cup of coffee next day.Absolutely incredible!!!

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Honey Grilled Chicken Wings

2 cups prepared barbecue sauce

1/2 cup honey (Blueberry Honey)

1 Tbsp. minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup raspberry syrup

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

36 chicken wings

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

In medium saucepan add the barbecue sauce, Blueberry honey, peppers, garlic, raspberry sauce and butter. Mix to combine and warm over the grill or oven stirring occasionally. In the meantime, fold the wing tips under the wing in the shape of a triangle. Evenly sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper. Place on the grill and cook about 12 -16 minutes, turning and basting often with the warmed sauce mixture. Juices should run clear when done. Serve garnished with cilantro if desired.

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Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes

2 lbs. sweet potatoes or yams

2/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup honey (Saw Palmetto Honey)

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Wash and pierce potatoes or yams. Place on a piece of heavy-duty foil and bake at 375°F for 40 to 50 minutes until just tender. Cool, peel and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Spray 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place cooked potatoes or yams in dish; set aside. In small pan, combine orange juice, honey, cornstarch, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat stirring until thick and mixture begins to boil. Stir and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Pour over potatoes or yams stirring to coat. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes until hot and potatoes are tender.

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Black Mangrove Honey Ice Cream

2 cups black mangrove honey

1 cup water

8 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1 quart heavy whipping cream

Splash of vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Mix honey and water in small saucepan. Reduce over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture has returned to a honey consistency and is just beginning to crystallize.Pour into a different container to stop cooking and allow to cool to room temperature.For the ice cream base:Whip yolks with sugar until they have tripled in volume. Heat cream on stove until just boiling. Temper yolks with a bit of hot cream, slowly incorporating the two until smooth. Do not do this too fast or you will have sweet scrambled eggs! Add vanilla and salt. Chill mixture. Add chilled mixture to ice cream freezer and chill until about ¾ of the way frozen. During last minutes of chilling, slowly drip in honey mixture, creating ribbons of honey in final product.

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Asian Honey-Tea Grilled Prawns

1-1/2 lbs. medium shrimp

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup brewed double strength orange spice tea, cooled

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Pinch of salt

In a plastic bag, combine marinade ingredients (everything but the shrimp, salt and onions). Remove 1/2 cup marinade; set aside for dipping sauce. Peel and devein the shrimp then add the to the marinade in bag, turning to coat.

Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. Remove shrimp from marinade; discard marinade. Thread shrimp onto 8 skewers, dividing evenly. Grill over medium coals 4 to 6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and are just firm to the touch, turning once. Season with salt, as desired. Meanwhile, prepare dipping sauce by placing reserved 1/2 cup marinade in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Stir in green onions.

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Honey Pecan Pie

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup Orange Blossom Honey

3/4 cup Buckwheat Honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 tsp. salt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 heaping cup chopped pecans

1/4cup pecan halves

1 single pie crust - bushed with egg wash and par baked. Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Combine melted butter, honey, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the lightly beaten eggs and combine well. Stir in chopped pecans. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Cover the edges of the crust with pie crust shields or a strip of aluminum foil. Arrange pecan halves on the surface of the pie. Bake at 325°F for 30-40 minutes until set. Cool completely before serving and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.