# creamed honey



## pumpkinpiper (Mar 3, 2004)

can someone explain the process of making this for personal use. looking into small batches for x-mas. Taz


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## JWG (Jun 25, 2004)

Run chunks of granulated honey through an electric meat grinder. The result is high quality, smooth creamed honey. Store in a cool place.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

You can add your ground crystalized honey as starter for more or you can buy some creamed honey to add as starter. The "Dyce method" is to keep seeded honey that is no more than 18% water and no less than 17.5% water at 52 degrees F (no more than 57 and no less than 45) until it crystalizes.

The point is that if it has small crystals as seeds and if the crystals form at maximin speed (due to the water content and the temperature) it will form a smooth product as opposed to slower crystalization that forms a larger crystal and has a more grainy texture.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

Not sure exactly what you were looking for with your question but if it was directions, this is from the creamed honey kit Dadant sells.

1. Start with about 10 pounds (3/4 gallon) of honey

2. Add 1 lb. starter. You can purchase a 1 lb. container of creamed honey at the store for your first starter. (Dadants kit contains a baggy of dextrose for the first batch)

3. Honey should be no warmer than 75 F and not below 59 F.

4. Using a 3/8 inch drill and the stirring attachment thoroughly blend the starter at a slow constant speed which may take 10 to 15 minutes. 

5. After blending, fill containers about 3/8 inch from the top and put the lids on.

6. Place the filled containers in your refrigerator. Optimum temperature is 55 F, but for practical purposes at home the temperature should not exceed 59 F or go below 50 F. (My refrigerator is at about 40 F and works ok)

7. Keep these containers for 5 to 7 days in your refrigerator at close to 55 F. 

8. Your creamed honey does not need to be refrigerated any longer, but may revert to a liquid if held at 90 F or above for an extended period of time.

Now you can use your own creamed honey as starter for the next batch.

As you can see the ratio is 10:1. The kit dadant sells contains a bucket with gate valve, stirring device for a heavy duty 3/8 inch drill, 1 lb. dextrose, 25 plastic containers and lids that hold 1 lb. of creamed honey each, 25 creamed honey labels for the lids, 3 vials (1/8 oz each) of different flavorings. 

The kit is handy for first time makers. It sells for about $60. I suppose that it can be blended in a food processor though, couldnt it?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The main trick of mixing it is not getting air in the honey when you mix.


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

I have bought creamed honey in the grocery store that had a white coating on top of the creamed honey. The flavor was ok, it just looked weird.


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## BeeMiner (Aug 8, 2003)

If you're using Dadant's creamed honey mixer on an electric drill, be sure you use a stainless steel container or, if using a plastic pail, be very, very careful not to allow the metal mixer to contact the sides or bottom of the pail lest you get small plastic slivers mixed into your creamed honey.

Mark


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## BeeMiner (Aug 8, 2003)

GaSteve,

The white coating on top is from the airbubbles that have risen over time. At the Farmer's Market I explain that to my customer's so they don't get concerned when they first open the lid.

When you're packing the creamed honey into 1lb containers, you can store the containers upside down while the crystals form and the air bubbles will rise to the "bottom". They usually stay there after crystallization is complete. But then you might see the bubble-coating when you reach the bottom and, if you don't know what it is, think you've been eating bad honey. I'd rather just let the bubbles rise and explain the coating to my customers.

Mark

[This message has been edited by BeeMiner (edited October 28, 2004).]


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

> if using a plastic pail, be very, very careful not to allow the metal mixer to contact the sides or bottom of the pail lest you get small plastic slivers mixed into your creamed honey.

Yes indeed Mark! I neglected to point that out, didnt I?! In fact, the first batch I made had that very thing happen. Keep the mixer from contacting the sides or bottom of a plastic bucket. A stainless bucket or large pyrex mixing bowl is much better than the plastic bucket Dadant sells with their kit.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

>Run chunks of granulated honey through an electric meat grinder...

Thanks for the tip, JWG. I dont have a meat grinder, but did use a standard kitchen blender. When I first tried it, the blender ran VERY SLOW and within a few seconds smoke started to come from the motor. Well, I thought to myself, thats not going to work very well, is it? So I put the glass container part of the blender in a microwave and nuked the honey for just a few seconds (I know, some of you purists out there are probably cringing over honey being microwaved







or







It could just as well have been heated on the stove, I suppose). Heating the granulated honey enough to make it flow more did the trick. This time the blender ran ok. I poured its contents into a small container and refrigerated it for several days. Came out great!







I think the original question on the topic was about making a small batch, so that might be an option for a single container.


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

Thanks for the recipe Dick M. I have made two batches so far and have orders on hand for cases of the stuff. People love it! 5 gallon batch goes in the brew fridge Sunday.


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## Hayseed (Apr 25, 2004)

I just finished my first micro-batch (one pound)of creamed honey using Sue Bee product as seed. Came out great, with one exception. It is about twice as hard as the seed product. At 60 degrees, it is almost too difficult to dig out with a butterknife. Any ideas of why and how to remedy?

Also, can anyone suggest how to flavor creamed honey?

Thanx,

Hayseed


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The "remedy" is to heat it unitl it's just a bit softer than you want it. It will stay softer once it's been softened back up.


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

moisture content can effect hardness. A content of 15% will make a hard set. Ideally moisture content needs to be about 17.5%.


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## ChellesBees (Apr 1, 2003)

Flavoring needs to be done when you mix it.
I have used the LorAnn flavor oils. (see www.lorannoils.com) Their cinnamon oil will give a result that tastes like red hot cinnamon candies. You can also use plain cinnamon-it does change the color, but tastes really good. Right now our wal-mart has some of the Lorann oils in the craft dept. for christmas candy making. I made peach, and everyone liked it, but no one wants the lemon at my house.


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

If you don't mind telling, how much do you add? It would save a lot of experimenting.


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

Go ahead and experiment! What is the difference in adding a little and tasting it to add more? Liquid versus creamed, volume for volume it will taste the same! You can always add more.


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## [email protected] (Aug 1, 2004)

To make great flavored creamed honey, contact Mid-Con. Sorry, I am doing this at home and my phone numbers and email address are in the honey house. They advertise monthly in the magazines. They sell dried fruits...nothing added. They can give you all the directions. Once you have tried dried fruits you will never again use oils as they don't look or taste nearly as well.


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## blackhornet (Dec 7, 2004)

This is how to make spun honey Take 10# of regular honey put in pail then take a 2# plastic jar of granulaed honey and add this to the 10# of regular honey. then take your power drill and instead of a bit pur a beater in it out of a kitchen mixer. Put it in the honey and granulated honey and let it spin for 14min moving it on all direction.Then when you are done it will look like a white cream. let it sit at room temp for 1 day. then take a spatula and skim off the bubbles off the top then pour into a container and let sit for 2weeks at a teprature of less than 60 degrees and warmer than 40 deg. This will make a nice batch of spun honey(this is not cream honey) To make a smaller batch like a 1#-5# just use a half pound of granulated honey and just like 1-5# regular follow same instruction and it will turn out the same. You can also add flavoring to it like pech,cinnamon,or what ever you prffer.


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## blackhornet (Dec 7, 2004)

If you all want to try my recipe go for it than compare it with the creamed honey that you make like a penutbutter.Spun honey is the best nothin but honey flovoring no other crap that contaminates the true honey flavor.


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## Ayten Arslan (Jan 15, 2005)

Hello;
I want ask a question
I wory about creamed honey starter's ingredients.Powder sugar and starch or aother thing?Do you know about it?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Everyone I know just uses creamed honey for starter. If you don't have creamed honey, then you run crystalized honey through a grain grinder to make it finer crystals and use that for starter. I don't know of anyone using powdered sugar or starch for starter.


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## johnhort (Apr 26, 2003)

Black Hornet: you said this is not creamed honey but spun honey...could you please explain the difference?


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

As Michael says most everyone uses existing creamed honey for starter. Some people buy a small amount of creamed honey at the store to start out with. 

Dadant sells powdered dextrose in 1 lb. sizes for starter. The ratio is 1 lb. starter to 10 lbs. honey.


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## BubbaBob (Jan 18, 2005)

Blackhornet, you ought to go to the National Honey Board and check out definitions of "creamed" and "spun" honey. They are the same and neither has ANY ingredients besides honey.


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## [email protected] (Aug 1, 2004)

black hornet gave you exactly the right way to make it! We are in the process of making our 3,000 lbs. that will last us through 2005. The only way I would modify black hornet's receipe is to use a piece of saran wrap to skim the foam off the top, instead of a spatula.

To get great ingredients for flavored spun honey, contact Mid-Con. Try their Cinnamon, Blackberry, and Peach. All freeze-dried and powdered and NEVER ANYTHING ADDED. 800-547-1392. Tell them Lloyd sent you.


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## Beemaninsa (Jun 9, 2004)

I make creamed honey monthly on average. I have tried Midcons' freeze dried fruit and I agree it is well worth the cost. I am interested in Mr. Spears foam removal technique. This may sound stupid, but could you explain how to remove foam with saran wrap? Do you just wrap your hand and dig in?
I use glass jars to hold the creamed honey because it is beautiful and sells very well. The problem with the glass is sometimes the honey pulls away from the jar sides and white crystals migrate to the air pockets produceing a white "frosting" that makes the product appear less desirable. I have tried "slumping" several times as described in the Dyce method with less than desired results. Slumping is basically warming the creamed honey during the final stages of the process. Is there any other way to reduce frosting?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Just lay the saran wrap on the top and then peel off. The "foam" will stick to the saran wrap.


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## [email protected] (Aug 1, 2004)

Michael Bush said what I would have on how to use the saran wrap. It really works.

Frosting is caused by subjecting the creamed or spun honey to uneven tempertures. As creamed or spun honey warms it will expand. The glass sides and bottom mean that it can only expand up, and it will. Warm it enough and it may leak out from under the cap.

As the creamed or spun honey gets cold it contracts. Typically, it will first contract away from the sides of the container, creating the 'frosting' effect. 

I only get 'frosting' in the fall, when I get too lazy to get unsold cartons out of the truck and we get a night or nights of freezing tempertures. When creamed/spun honey is stored in my basement the temperature runs from 50 degrees in the depth of winter (like right now, when we have a wind chill of -25 and will have a daytime high of 5) to 70 degrees in the heat of August, when outside temperatures can reach 100. With these limited variations, 'frosting' will not occur (at least with my honey).


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## Beemaninsa (Jun 9, 2004)

Thank you Mr. Spear. Most, if not all of my frosting problems have occured when my creamed honey was stored at uneven temperatures. It is so obvious now, I can't believe I didn't figure that out on my own. Thanks again.


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## manbee (Sep 22, 2003)

So how about one of each receipe,one for spun honey and one for creamed honey and the cranky ones can stay out of it.


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## HARight (Jun 6, 2004)

Two post gave what appears to be two different ratios for honey to starter. One said 10 pounds of honey to 1 pound of creamed honey the other said 10 pounds of honey to ten pounds of granulated honey. Is there a difference between creamed honey and the granulated honey? If so what is the difference? Is there an advantage to one or the other for a starter, or for the different amounts of starter. Thanks for the help in understanding this. HAR


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Creamed honey IS granulated honey. But it is FINELY granulated honey. Coarsely granulated honey feels like sand on your tongue. Finely granulated honey feels like cream.

Any amount of starter will cause the honey to granulate. The more starter the more quickly it will granulate and the more predictably it will granulate. But most people use about one pound of starter for 10 pounds of honey or less. My guess is 10:10 is a typo.


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## HARight (Jun 6, 2004)

To Michel Bush: The ten:ten was a typo, sorry, should have been ten:two per black hornet and confirmed by Lloyd Spear's post. Thanks for your input.


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## dcross (Jan 20, 2003)

<<So how about one of each receipe,one for spun honey and one for creamed honey and the cranky ones can stay out of it. >>

How about we just call it all "spreamed honey"? Or maybe "crunney".


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## manbee (Sep 22, 2003)

So what should we sell this creamed,"spreamed" or
"crunnry" honey for? $8.00 a lb Retail sounds good to me for starters.So lets see the price range and be realistic with those replys.


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## thekeeper (Nov 24, 2004)

The creamed or spun honey(what yall want to call it) can only sell for the price of the stuff in your local area.8$ per pound sounds like you are selling yourselves short.Their is a diffrence between creamed and spun.I wont give any explanation since every one has their own point of view on it.8$ per pond sounds low to me thou.I sold mine for 6$ per 12 oz glass jar.Had to charge for the glass containers.It was gone after I had posted it on here sold like hotcakes.

[ February 04, 2005, 10:07 AM: Message edited by: coyote ]


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