February 14, 2015
by Jason Ford
Ford on Food
Honey is one of the oldest ingredients used in cookery.
I once read that it was discovered in pottery jars from Egyptian tombs. And although crystallised, it was still edible.
Honey was used around the world as a sweetener well before the introduction of sugar.
The ancient Greeks used it in many bakery products and considered it “The Food of the Gods”.
Many of these ancient recipes are still used today, particularly throughout Europe.
Honey could be described as a thick, sweet liquid made by bees from the nectar of flowers.
The nectar passes through the bee’s digestive system and is excreted as the honey we all know.
Honey takes on distinctive flavours and colours, depending on the type of flowers from which the bees extract the nectar.
Some of the most common honey producing flowers are from eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary, heather, orange blossom and acacia, to mention a few.
Some honey tips:
- If your jar of honey begins to crystallise, stand it in a bowl of hot water until it dissolves and turns back to liquid
- When accurately measuring honey with a spoon, dip the spoon in hot water first and it won’t stick as much
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Honey and Peanut Biscuits
Ingredients:
- Half cup of margarine
- Half cup of raw caster sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup flour
- Half cup of bran flakes
- Half cup choppped, unsalted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Method:
- Preheat an oven to 135oC and line a baking tray
- In a mixing machine, combine the margarine, caster sugar and honey
- When blended, mix in the flour, bran flakes, peanuts and cinnamon
- Shape mixture into balls and then press flat onto the baking tray
- Bake 20 minutes
Makes 12.
