All About Honey - Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper - page 108

for two minutes, then rapidly cool it to 130°F (54°C). Other heat treatments include
heating honey to 140°F (60°C) for thirty minutes, or 160°F (71°C) for one minute, or
some straight-line gradient between those two temperatures. Any more heating is con-
sidered pasteurization. I believe that heating honey to a temperature higher than what
naturally occurs inside the beehive, 90° to 95°F (32° to 35°C), compromises the quality
ofthehoney,destroyingvaluableenzymesandflavors.Aburnedflavorcanoccurwhen
a honey has been overheated to kill the yeast in it or simply to liquefy it. Beekeepers
whousehightemperaturesduringtheextractionprocesscanscorchthehoneyanddam-
agetheflavor.Burnedhoneytastessimilartoacaramelcandy.However,darker-colored
honeys,suchasbuckwheat,havecolorandflavorprofilesthatgiveitanaturallyburned
flavor.
C RYSTALLIZED OR G RANULATED H ONEY
We've all have found a jar of cloudy, coarse granular-looking honey hiding in the back
of the cupboard and thought it might be a good time to toss it out. Honey sometimes
takes on a semisolid state known as crystallized or granulated honey, but it hasn't gone
bad. Although most honeys will crystallize in time, the crystallization process can be
avoided or delayed with proper storage. At room temperature, crystallization can be-
gin within weeks or months. Warm temperatures of 70 to 81°F (21 to 27°C) discourage
crystallization. Very warm temperatures that are over 81°F (27°C) reverse crystalliza-
tion but also degrade the honey by removing valuable enzymes.
Honey is a supersaturated sugar solution out of which the glucose will crystallize in
time.Thisnaturalphenomenonoccurswhenglucose,oneofthreemainsugarsinhoney,
loseswaterandformsasolidcrystal.Thissupersaturated stateoccursbecausethereisa
more than 70 percent sugar and less than 20 percent water content. Crystallization can
alsooccurwhentinyparticles ofdust,pollen,orevenairbubblesactasseedsinsidethe
honey. The honey solution will naturally change to the more stable solid state of crys-
tallization. Tupelo, sage, and sourwood honeys are valued because they almost never
crystallize.
C REAMED H ONEY
Beekeepers can control the crystallization process to create a mouthwatering, smooth
product called creamed, spun, or whipped honey, which is delightful to spread on toast.
This type of honey has a pleasant texture and very delicate crystals in it, unlike that
coarselygranulatedhoneyinthebackofyourcabinet.Thecreamingprocessstartswith
pure liquid honey extracted from the comb. First, it is strained through a stainless steel