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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 24, 2019

Making Creamed Honey

This is how I make creamed honey. I usually make it right before Thanksgiving so it has time to set. I give the creamed honey away to my friends and relatives for Christmas gifts.
 Making creamed honey is easy. Purchase creamed honey from the grocery store. This is the seed. The seed puts the fine crystals of the creamed honey into the liquid honey. You need to add one pound of creamed honey per ten pounds of honey. I usually double the creamed honey, using two tubs of creamed honey per ten pounds of honey. Some creamed honey is in 12 ounce tubs, I use two of them per ten pounds of honey.
 The chemistry is, with time as the mixture starts to set, it replicates the fine crystals of the store bought creamed honey. The fine crystals have a nice smooth texture in your mouth.
 The first step is to take my best honey. The trick is to use honey that is free of granulation. Warm the honey to 95 degrees. Use a thermometer, don't guess.
 A crock pot set on low, usually works well for heating the honey.  Pour the warm honey into a bottling pail. If the honey is too warm, let it cool in the bottling pail. You may need to stir it slightly to move the warm honey around.
When the honey is at 95 degrees stir in the creamed honey. I usually move the mixture outside after the creamed honey is blended so the mixture can cool off rapidly. If the creamed honey stays in the heat for too long, the crystals will liquefy and the creamed honey will not set properly. You will have to repeat the whole process if the mixture does not set up. 
 Follow the directions in the video. I fast forwarded the bottling in the video, because the creamed honey had started to set up. It was very thick and hard to pour. I waited three days before I bottled it. Bottle the creamed honey after 1-2  days after stirring in the seed crystals. Always pour one plastic container so you can squeeze the container and tell when the mixture has set. The creamed honey when properly set will be very firm and feel hard when squeezing the plastic container, Put the honey somewhere where the temperature is around 57 degrees. An unheated cold basement floor works well. Honey in general, granulates best at 57 degrees. We use that fact to help set up the creamed honey.