Temperature to mix seed for Creamed Honey

[beedeetee]

I have made creamed honey quite a few times. I have a couple of recipes that tell you to add the seed at different temperatures. So far I have always added when the temperature is in the 85-90 degree range.

When I have made it this way it has always come out really nice and smooth but the Dyce method says that 60-75 degrees is best. So today I made up three batches. The first was my normal way. The next two were in the 73-76 degree range. I blend it with a Kitchen Aid mixer on the slowest (stir) speed. Wow, do I have a lot of air in the last two batches. It is more like making taffy when it is that cool. I have let it stand for several hours and there is no way to get a pound of this mix in a one pound container.:doh:

I have had my creamed honey set up in about a week before and I am kind of worried that it may set up before the air comes out.

So my question is what temperature do you all mix your creamed honey at? How long do you need to let it stand before filling containers. When I mix at 85-90 degrees I can fill containers right away.

[Jethro]

I mix the seed in at room temp. I take the honey out of the hotbox stir in the fruit and let it sit over night. Then the next day I skim off any foam and stir in the seed. Ladle it into the containers. I never use a mixer to stir in the seed sometimes the fruit, but never the seed.

[Joel]

http://www.masterbeekeeper.org/dyce/creamhoney.htm

This will tell you step by step the correct process. Enjoy! :)

[beedeetee]

Joel,

Yes, that link is the one that I used to combine my liquid honey with my seed creamed honey at a lower temperature than I usually use. The seed honey is fairly stiff at those (60-75 degrees) temperatures so I used a mixer on the lowest speed.

It says to wait 12 hours and skim off the bubbles, but it still seemed "light" in that the containers were completely full. I did get the lids on and they are aging now.

The other recipe that I have used with success is by Warren Schave. It says to add the seed at 90-95 degrees. I have always waited to add until it is closer to 85-90 degrees and it has turned out very well.

It sounds so far like you all are adding the seed at room temperature and either blending carefully or skimming bubbles.

[Joel]

Yep, we add at 85-95 and with a few exceptions we've had good results. We don't skim and have learned the careful mixing lessons. Too much air makes an unattractive product in the jar, too little mixing and sometimes you get pockets of semi-liquid honey.

I'd be interested to here how the experiments make out.

[Chef Isaac]

if I was making a 60 pound batch of creamed honey, I like to take about about 10 pounds, add the seed and mix it with my kitchen aid. Then pour the seed into the bucket and mix well. Works great!

[beedeetee]

Chef,

What temperature is the liquid honey at when you add the seed honey?

[Chef Isaac]

I usually go for room temp. I did a batch the other day that it was way to warm and I know the seed didnt set.

[lloyd@rossrounds.com]

We make up several thousand pounds a year, and I have a neighbor who makes up an equal amount. Parts of our methods are dissimilar, but the part that is identical is the temperature of the seed and the honey.

Both the seed and the honey need to be 'cool'. No more than 65 degrees, and 60 degrees is preferred. I use a standard Hobart commercial mixer (the kind where the table model weighs some 230 pounds), and I can't tell you what my neighbor uses because they consider it proprietary. But both methods are capable of putting an awful lot of air in with the honey if one is not careful.

Cold honey has the advantage of not wanting to move, and therefore is not subsecptible of getting as much air mixed in. But you need a powerful mixer. More important might be the mixing implement.

We use a basic flour attachement. We have tried using the whisk, thinking it would make the job go faster, but (yep) it incorporates too much air. My neighbor uses a tool that one would think would guarantee too much air, but he discovered that as long as he keeps it entirely submerged (yes, it operates horizontally) that no air will get in.

So, to control the air problem use cold honey and mix very slowly. It doesn't take long to get good dispersal.

Lloyd