Recipes - The Bees Knees Honey

Recipes

Honey Cake

Ingredients:

170 g runny honey
140 g butter
2 eggs, beaten
85g mucavado sugar
200 g self-raising flour, sieved

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 3,
Butter and line a 6- 8in/15-20cm circular cake tin.
Measure the honey, butter and sugar in to a large pan.
Add a tablespoon of water and heat gently until melted.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool then mix in the eggs and flour.
Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 mins until the cake is springy to the touch and shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin.
Cool slightly in the tin before turning onto a wire rack.

Honey Mustard

Ingredients:

225g mustard seeds
275ml white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
60ml honey

Method:

Place the mustard seeds, vinegar and cinnamon in a bowl, cover and leave to soak overnight
Blitz the mixture in a blender, or grind with a pestle and mortar. Add more vinegar to create a smooth consistency
Transfer to sterilized jars and store in the fridge for up to one month

Honey Cider

Ingredients:

2 litres apple cider
240ml honey
120ml orange juice
juice of half lemon
3 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons whole cloves
quarter teaspoon allspice
1 apple
1 orange
240ml rum (optional)

Method:

Put the cider, honey, orange juice, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice into a large saucepan. Simmer on a medium heat for 20 minutes
Peel, core and slice the orange thinly and add to the pan together with the rum (if required)

A rule of thumb when substituting honey for sugar in recipes is to use 3/4 for every cup of sugar you would have used, while decreasing the liquid in your recipe (honey contains up to 20% water) and lowering the oven temperature by 25 degrees.

There are many other uses for honey – here are some which you might not already have thought of:

Healing wounds:

Bacterial infections need water to thrive but since honey is hygroscopic (it actually attracts water) it deprives the bacteria of the moist conditions it needs. Honey also contains propolis and pollen enzymes which work to sterilize wounds and assist healing. Glucose oxidase which is found in honey combines with water and produces hydrogen peroxide of which antiseptic properties are released when it touches the skin. Various different types of honey contains a different mix of anti bacterial substances.
Apply honey liberally to open wounds in order to speed up the healing process.

Prevent scarring:

Since honey attracts moisture it can help prevent scarring by keeping skin moist and aiding the growth of new skin. Additionally it helps to stop the dressings sticking to an open wound.

Boost the immune system:

Daily use of honey strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Honey contains various vitamins and minerals. Continual use of honey strengthens the white corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.