Has anyone tried the cream honey kit from Dadant. I just bought one and I was somewhat suprised that the directions didn't call for heating to kill off domant yeasts as the Dyce method calls for. It just calls for 75 deg starting temp, blend in a powder starter and then states to refrigerate for a week
Quote from: danno on December 10, 2008, 04:26:40 PM
Has anyone tried the cream honey kit from Dadant. I just bought one and I was somewhat suprised that the directions didn't call for heating to kill off domant yeasts as the Dyce method calls for. It just calls for 75 deg starting temp, blend in a powder starter and then states to refrigerate for a week
I too have been doing research for making creamed honey. You are supposed to heat the honey so its has no crystalization. The crystals should come from your seed honey, thereby controlling the size of the seed. the smaller the better. I wont/refuse to heat honey above 100F, so plan to just place my honey in a tap water bath to insure it is smooth when I add my seed, which is a creamed honey i purchased earlier. So heating is not absolutely necessary, but can make for a more consistent creamed honey from year to year.
In the book ABC XYZ in the Dyce method he claims that when the crystals form they contain a very low % of water so the remaining liquid takes up what the crystals should have had raising it to a 19% + level. That is why he says to pasturize it to kill the natural yeasts or it can ferment
100F is more than sufficient, that is what I use and have never had a problem. The key to smooth creamed honey is daily stirring and breaking up the crystals.
Rob
Do you keep it in bulk for stirring until finished?
Yes, i make it in 5 gallon pails until it becomes stiff and then bottle it.
when and how much do you add for flavorings such as cranberry or almond?
Quote from: KONASDAD on December 11, 2008, 11:28:10 AM
when and how much do you add for flavorings such as cranberry or almond?
The last step prior to packaging. It changes the composition a smidgen so you want the creamed honey fully finished before blending in any fruit, nut, or other flavorings. It doesn't take very much, maybe a tablespoon or less per quart. Some fun flavors are: strawberry, peach, cherry, or blueberry (Huckleberry) preserves ; Apple or Pear butters, and even butterscortch or carmel. One can even use essential oils or flavorings like, almond, vanilla, chocolate, etc.
Quote from: KONASDAD on December 11, 2008, 11:28:10 AM
when and how much do you add for flavorings such as cranberry or almond?
I mix it in right before bottling. My customers seem to prefer cinnamon and pecan, so that is the only flavors I currently do.
1lb. pecans/60lbs honey
1 cup cinnamon/60lbs honey