Creamed Honey DIY

If you've ever had creamed honey, you probably prefer it by a large margin to standard honey and you are probably even think its worth the extra price.  But did you know that you can easily make your own and save? 

In this Instructable, I'll show you the simple process of making creamed honey.  If you haven't ever had creamed honey you don't know what you are missing.  Creamed honey is thicker and "creamier" than standard honey.  It tastes better, feels like velvet on your tongue, and won't smoosh out of your sandwich so much.

Step 1: Getting Started - Creamed Honey Facts

Contrary to popular belief, creamed honey is not whipped.  It is actually crystalized.  The difference between creamed honey and the nasty, gritty honey that you find in your pantry after having neglected your honey for several months is the size of the crystals.  Creamed honey has tiny, silky, smooth crystals.

You can determine the size of the crystals in your honey by providing a pattern or "starter."  The easiest way to get a good starter is to buy your favorite creamed honey.  Once you have that, you can make endless gallons of creamed honey.

One really cool advantage of creamed honey is that it is already crystalized, so it will never get all nasty and gritty, even if you loose it in your pantry for a few years.

For those who prefer visual explanations, you can see the process in this video.

Step 2: Prepare the Honey

You will need to make sure that your stock honey has no crystals in it.  If your honey is fresh out of the comb, you should be fine.  If it is fresh from Costco, you still might be okay.  If you see any crystals in the honey or on the sides of the container, you will want to heat it untill all the crystals have melted.  A good way to do this is by placing the container in a pot of about 200 degreee farenheit water until it is nice and runny.  Make sure to let the honey cool back to room temerature before proceeding.

Step 3: Add the Starter

Add about 5-10% creamed honey to your stock honey and mix well.

Step 4: Chill and Wait

Store the mixed honey in a cool place - about 50 degrees farenheit for a few days to a week.  An unheated garage in Autumn works well for me.

Step 5: Enjoy

It will be easy to see when the creaming process is finished.  The honey will be firm and won't flow when tipped over.  If you stir it up at this point, it will flow again.  If you intend to dispense the honey from a squeeze bottle, stiring is a good idea otherwise leave it as it is.