# Revisiting Creamed Honey Production



## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

I am having some trouble making creamed honey. I started using the power drill and the paint mixer attachment. I add my seed and mix for like 15 minutes until thick (or at least thicker then what it was before). Then I bottle it. Friends say it should be ready in a couple of days but sometimes it takes much much longer. Also, it tends to have foam at the top of the jar. Why is this?


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

The foam is because you are mixing TOO much and putting air in it. Honey temp should be about 80-85 and creamed seed the same temp. I use to use a drywall mixer but now use a Hobart mixer with dough attachment. THe drill and drywall mixer worked as good, but was a little harder to keep air out. Mix at a speed that is about med..not real fast. It doesnt have to mix perfect just thourough. I would guess I mix about one minute or less, (10 gal container) put in jars and then cooler at 57 deg. You can use as little as 5 % seed although 10 is recommended. Dont beatit too death! lol


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## beedeetee (Nov 27, 2004)

Last spring I started a thread concerning the getting air in the creamed honey. I had made batches where I mixed in the 80's and 70's. When I mixed when the temperature was in the low 70's (I think that you said that you mixed it at about room temperature) I got a lot more air and it was hard to get a pound of creamed honey in the one pound containers.

Responses on the temperature ranged from the high 80's to a suggestion to mix with the liquid honey and seed honey in the 60's. After making batches I think that the best creamed honey was made in the 60's, but using a bread hook rather than a regular mixing blade and going at the slowest speed for only a short time. I think that Dyce used this mixing temperature also. I had been worried about trying to pour 65 degree creamed honey into containers, but it turned out not to be a problem (well any more of a problem than pouring 70 or 80 degree honey into containers).

The thing that controls the speed of setting up (your question) is the temperature that you keep the creamed honey at after mixing. I don't have a way to store it in a controlled temperature of 57 degrees (Dyce). Where we live in the Pacific Northwest though, we have 57 degree average days a lot in the fall and spring. So I make my creamed honey then. I will be making mine in October/November for next year. When the daily highs are in the low 60's and the low temperature is in the low 50's mine sets up in about 5 days when I box it up and put in on the back porch. If it is a little colder out I put it in my garage which is slightly warmer. Now it would take a few weeks and would be a thinner type of creamed honey.


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

true beedeetee, like you said its slow filling jars at 60 deg. At 60 or 70 honey is hard to mix with drill due to the thickness so 80 makes it easier......but you are right...the dough hook is the best!


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## beekeeper_sd (Oct 30, 2008)

I use a drill and mixer and don't seem to have too much trouble with air. Just keep your mixer below the surface of the honey as much as possible and it will cut down on the amount of air you incorporate. 

Also, it should take 7-10 days for the honey to completely make. Have patience. The amount of time it takes depends a lot on how wet your honey is when you make it. 

Good luck


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I don't heat it, don't seed it and put it on the window sill. It creams quite nicely in a very short time.  But if it doesn't I grind some crystallized honey in a flour grinder for seed and add a bit. If I had a fridge to dedicate to the process I'd set it at the recommended 57° F.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

I just bought a wisk from a restraunt supply house. I bought one big enough to mix in a 5 gallon bucket. I poured the liquid, added the seed at the same time, and as it was pouring in i used the wisk to mix it. Worked great. Three days later used the wisk again. Now i am just waiting to see if the mixed stuff will go hard like a rock, or if it will be spreadalbe. The texture was really nice and fine

As for the air, if you let the barrel or pail or what ever you mixed the honey in set for a few days, the air comes to the top and can be skimmed off. Then it fits perfect in the containers


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