Sweet As Honey

Recipes

Written by Elke Probkevitz

Thursday, 16 September 2010 10:52

Honey is one of the stars of the High Holiday season, helping us to start our new year on a sweet note. For those honey lovers out there that look forward to dipping their apples or drizzling their challah with the sweet nectar, you must know that there is more to this sweet treat than meets the eye. With so many benefits, varieties, and uses, honey is an indulgence that should be utilized year-round.

Honey is a sweet and sticky liquid produced by honeybees and other insects from the nectar of flowers. It is a pure product without any added substances and is significantly sweeter than table sugar. The flavor of honey is affected by many factors: location, climate, soil, and temperature, which all give the flower nectar a unique makeup, thereby affecting the outcome of the honey made from it. Honey available at the market is usually a blend of inexpensive honey from all over the world, pasteurized to achieve a standard product and long shelf-life. Artisan honey is a much better-quality product, made by beekeepers that harvest and preserve the integrity of the honey.

Honey comes in all different varieties. Blended honey is a combination of honey from different floral sources. The most select of honey varieties is known as varietal or monofloral honey, which comes from a single flower. The flavor of these honeys is unique and complex. Raw honey is unprocessed and unpasteurized, which means it stays exactly in its natural form without any heat added to it. It comes out of the comb and goes straight into the bottle, so it is one of the most natural products in the market. Honey also comes in different flavors when it is infused with aromatic ingredients such as fruit or herbs.

Honey is great in cooking not only to add a touch of sweetness. It can be used as a glaze on meat, poultry, and fish as well as baked goods to help achieve a brown color. Honey also adds a deep color to sauces, dressings, and jams. When baking, honey changes the texture of breads and cakes and prevents them from going stale, improving shelf life. Honey also acts as an excellent binder, helping desserts keep their shape and retain their moisture. Since it is sweeter than sugar, when substituting with honey in cooking start by using half the amount called for and then add more as needed. Because batter including honey browns faster, make sure to reduce cooking temperature by 25 degrees when substituting honey for sugar. Honey can crystallize easily, which does not mean it has gone bad, it is just the natural process. To reliquify the honey, place it in a container of warm water overnight.

Not only is honey a sweet treat, but it has healing properties that make it a great natural remedy as well. Most of us know of honeyâ€™s soothing properties, used to ease a sore throat. It can also be used for its antibacterial properties to disinfect and heal wounds. It can help indigestion and provide an instant boost of energy since it is absorbed quickly by the body. This helps prevent fatigue during exercise and is great for athletes. With all these benefits, honey may be a wonder food waiting to be rediscovered.

Honey Chocolate Marble Cake

Honey Cake Batter Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup tea
1/4 cup orange juice

Honey Cake Batter Directions:

In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.
Stir with whisk, then make well in center and stir in oil, honey, granulated and brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, tea, and orange juice. Stir well to make smooth batter. Set aside.

Chocolate Batter Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa, sifted
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flat cola-flavored soft drink

Chocolate Batter Directions:

In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Make well in center and whisk in granulated and brown sugars, oil, eggs, vanilla, and cola. Blend well to make smooth batter.

Pour honey cake batter into well-greased 9â€ or 10â€ tube pan. Pour chocolate batter on top. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until cake springs back when gently touched, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then unmold and place on serving platter.

Eating quality, delicious meals is easy when all the work is done for you. Hire a personal chef to prepare your dinners, Shabbos meals, or small parties. For more information, contact Take Home Chef personal chef services by calling 516-508-3663, writing to elke@TakeHomeChef.net, or visiting www.TakeHomeChef.net.