Cooking with Honey
 For
best results, use recipes developed for using honey. When substituting
honey for granulated sugar in recipes, begin by substituting honey
for up to half of the sugar called for in the recipe. With a little
experimentation, honey can replace all the sugar in some recipes.
When baking with honey, remember the following:
- Reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey
used.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.
- Reduce oven temperature by 25 degree F to prevent over-browning.
Because of its high fructose content, honey has a higher sweetening
power than sugar. This means you can use less honey than sugar to
achieve the desired sweetness.
When measuring honey, coat the measuring cup with non-stick cooking
spray or vegetable oil before adding the honey. The honey will slide
right out.
A 12-ounce jar of honey equals a standard measuring cup.
The Delicious Forms of Honey
Store honey at room temperature - your kitchen counter or pantry
shelf is ideal.
Storing honey in the refrigerator accelerates the honey's crystallization.
Crystallization is the natural process in which liquid in honey becomes
solid.
If your honey crystallizes, simply place the honey jar in warm water
and stir until the crystals dissolve. Or, place the honey in a microwave-safe
container with the lid off and microwave it, stirring every 30 seconds,
until the crystals dissolve. Be careful not to boil or scorch the
honey.
Note: Honey should not be fed to infants under one year of age.
Honey is a safe and wholesome food for children and adults. More
details.
Color, Flavor and Form
Honeys differ in color and flavor depending on what blossoms the
honey bees visit in search of nectar. Honey color ranges from almost
colorless to dark amber brown and its flavor varies from delectably
mild to richly bold. As a general rule, light-colored honey is milder
in taste and dark-colored honey is stronger.
Health Benefits
Research has shown that unlike most other sweeteners, honey contains
small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and
antioxidants.
Honey, a rich source of carbohydrates, provides a quick source of
energy.
Honey's unique composition makes it an effective antimicrobial agent,
useful for treating minor burns and scrapes, and for aiding the treatment
of sore throats and other bacterial infections.
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