COOKING WITH HONEY

Natural honey is honey taken from the comb and not altered in any way. Recipes normally call for clear, runny honey, but thick set honey can also be used if it is melted over a gentle heat.

The following points should be noted when using honey in the kitchen;

• Honey has a high acid content and should therefore be stored in containers made from glass, stainless steel or tin. Copper, zinc and aluminium are not suitable for storing honey.
• Honey can be kept for very long periods at room temperature and does not require refrigeration.
• Honey absorbs and retains moisture and should therefore be kept in a dry place in an airtight container.
• When weighing out honey, coat the spoon and scale pan with oil so that the honey does not stick.
• Honey is sweeter than sugar. One teaspoon of honey has the sweetness of one and a half teaspoons of sugar.
• One teaspoon of honey contains 20 calories and one tablespoon contains 60 calories.
• As the flavour of honey is affected by high temperatures items such as cakes using honey instead of sugar should be baked more slowly at lower temperatures.
• Cakes, puddings and biscuits will stay fresh and moist longer when made with honey.
• There are many delicious recipes using honey in most cookery books. A search of the library shelves or bookshops may yield a few books devoted specifically to both sweet and savoury recipes using honey.