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This blog explains how I keep bees. It works for me, it might not work for you. Use my methods at your own risk. Always wear protective clothing and use a smoker when working bees.

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Sunday, November 23, 2008

Making Creamed Honey

This time of year I like to make creamed honey for holiday gifts to my friends and relatives. Creamed honey is a surprise to many people because they have never had it before.
Making creamed honey is very simple. All you need is creamed honey from the grocery store for seed.
This is how I make it. I buy one pound tubs of Sioux Bee Creamed Honey at the grocery store. I am partial to this brand as it seems to produce the best creamed honey. Mix 1 pound of seed for every ten pounds of honey.
Warm up liquid non crystallized honey. If the honey has crystallization in it the result may be grainy tasting honey.
I warm it up to 95 degrees F. Then put it in a bottling pail. Stir in the creamed honey, make sure it gets spread throughout the honey. Try not to stir in air, that produces foam on top. Let cool, the quicker the better. I usually set it outside to cool for a while so the seed doesn't liquefy. After it cools a bit bring it in, keep at room temperature and let it set for a day.
The next day I stir again trying not to incorporate air into the mixture. Let set for the day so the air can rise out.
Bottle the same as honey. Use wide mouth jars a knife is needed to spread the creamed honey. I use glass hex jars.
Let the mixture set in cool temperatures, do not freeze. Honey granulates the best at 57 degrees F. Creamed honey is granulated honey. By adding the proper sized seed the granulation that takes place is controlled to a fine texture.
It will take about 7 - 10 days for the mixture to set up. I try to fill at least one plastic tub of creamed honey. Then I can squeeze the sides to tell when it is set properly. The sides won't give when it is set.
Variations can be made such as adding powdered cinnamon.