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WHAT IS CREAMED HONEY?
Creamed honey is crystallized honey, that can be spread like jam. It is also called cream honey and honey creme.
Almost all honey crystallizes over time; the time frame depends on the particular type of nectar from which the bees gathered the pollen (photo #7).
The higher amount of sugar a particular nectar has, the sooner it will crystallize.
If your jar of regular honey has crystallized (photo #6), you can enjoy it that way or microwave it back to its amber form. There is nothing wrong with a jar that crystallizes. In fact:
Crystallization of honey actually preserves the flavor and quality characteristics of the honey.
Some raw honey recipes can be easier to make with partially or fully-crystallized honey.
Crystallized honey also tastes richer. When the honey is in a crystallized state it takes longer to melt on your tongue, allowing all of your taste buds to activate and pick up on the subtleties (source).
There are two types of creamed honey:
Raw Creamed Honey: This is unprocessed honey made from a nectar that will crystallize naturally into a thick, creamy consistency. This honey is grainier than processed creamed honey, but the graininess is part of its charm (photo #1).
Processed Creamed Honey: Companies can whip any honey into a creamy state with a smooth and silky consistency. The texture is obtained through a controlled crystallization process that produces very fine uniform crystals, as opposed to the larger crystals in natural (raw) creamed honey (photos #2, #3, #4, #5).
Processed honeys are still 100% honey (read the ingredients list).
Both raw and processed creamed honeys are a perfect bread spread.
HOW TO USE CREAMED HONEY
Honey has a place at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time. Here are 30 different ways we use honey.
Everyone has favorite uses for honey, from a cup of tea to a peanut butter and banana sandwich.
Bread: We use it as a toast and biscuit and bread spread and as spoon candy (we can’t stop eating it out of the jar).
Also For Breakfast: Stir or drizzle it into yogurt and oatmeal, spread it on pancakes and French toast, and top a breakfast bowl.
Sandwich Spread: Use with sweet-and-salty ingredients, such as prosciutto, pear and parmesan; cheddar and apple, with or without ham; grilled cheese; peanut butter and banana.
Snacks: a dip for apple slices and pretzels, popcorn drizzle, a spoonful or two from the jar.
Dinner: Use it on baked squash, as a glaze for pork chops and salmon, in marinades and sauces, as a sweet potato topping.
Condiment: On a cheese plate.
Dessert: A cookie spread for butter cookies, chocolate cookies and graham crackers; a dollop for angel food cake or a loaf cake/bread.
Honey For Gifting
Creamed honey also has a place in a gift box or as a stocking stuffer. Anyone with a sweet tooth will welcome it.
FLAVORED CREAMED HONEYS
There are plain creamed honeys, raw and processed. But an equally delicious category is flavored creamed honeys.
Bumbleberry Farms sells different types of honey; but the most special are the creamed honeys.
Processed into a silky spread or dip, the current flavors include:
Cinnamon Stick Honey Cream Spread
Dark Chocolate Honey Cream Spread
Sea Salt Caramel Honey Cream Spread
Sweet Maple Honey Cream Spread
Find them at BumbleberryFarms.com.
Sleeping Bear Farms sells lemon creamed honey.
Anthony’s Beehive has creamed honey in Original, Peanut Butter and Raspberry.
Apiterra has a raw honey gift set of Raw Honey, Raw Honey with Green Matcha and Raw Honey with Turmeric & Ginger.
Limited Edition has creamed honey in Apple Spice, Cinnamon, Dark Chocolate Pecan, Jalapeño, Peach Amaretto, Pecan, Praline and Raspberry Pecan. You can find them on Amazon.
HONEY FOR EVERY OCCASION
Anytime gifts for honey and candy lovers
Assorted gift boxes
Easter baskets
Party favors
Stocking stuffers
Teacher gifts
Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day
MORE ABOUT HONEY
The Different Types Of Honey
The History Of Honey
Pairing Varietal Honeys With Food
Storing & Using Honey
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[1] Raw creamed honey, unprocessed and natural (photo © Bee Raw Honey).
[2] Cinnamon creamed honey, processed to a silky consistency. Find it at Bumbleberry Farms (photos #2, #3, #4 and #5 © Bumbleberry Farms).
[3] Sea salt creamed honey with apple slices.
[4] Sweet maple creamed honey to use with just about anything.
[5] Dark chocolate and honey, for angel food cake and spoon candy.
[6] A jar of raw honey can spontaneously crystallize. You can enjoy it as is, or microwave the jar to revert the crystals (photo © Bee Raw Honey).
[7] A worker bee gathering pollen (photo © Sebastien Rosset | Unsplash).
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