As the
holiday season approaches, thoughts of big baking sessions bubble to the
surface even in households where baking is not a regular activity. As many
folk, for all sorts of reasons, prefer honey as their sweetening agent, I
though some information from a small booklet produced by the Dominion
Experimental Farms (Bee Division) of the Ottowa Depatment of Agriculture in
1934 might be useful. The book is entitled Honey
and Some of The Ways it May Be Used, and the section called The Use of Honey in Home Cooking contains
advice as to the adaptations needed if it is desired to substitute it for
sugar.
“Honey may be used in home cooking as a substitute for
sugar or molasses with delightful results, provided certain general rules are
closely adhered to. Perhaps the chief advantage of using honey, especially in
cakes, cookies, etc. is that they will remain moist for a much longer time than
if sugar alone is used; bread, cakes, cookies, etc., in which honey is used in
place of sugar will keep moist for long periods of time without any
deterioration of flavour; in fact, the latter usually improves with a
reasonable length of storage. A direct substitution of all honey for sugar may
he made in cases where the amount of sweetening material is small, such as in muffins, bread, etc. In
cakes, cookies, pies, etc.where greater sweetening is necessary, other things
must be taken into consideration when using honey. Honey and sugar differ in
their chemical composition. Sugar is a straight sweet containing no moisture or
acid, while honey consists of different types of sugar in solution with water,
and contains a certain degree of acidity. The following rules are based on
experimental work that has been done with honey in cooked food-, and by
following these general rules any recipe may be adapted to the use of honey: —"
1. Measure honey always in the liquid form. If it is
granulated, heat over
warm water until liquid.
2. For every cup of honey used, reduce the liquid called
for in the recipe
by one-fifth.
3. One cup of honey is as great in sweetening power as one
cup of sugar.
4. Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon of soda to each cup of honey.
5. Increase the amount of salt by ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon.
6. When substituting honey for sugar in cake, reduce the
liquid of the recipe
by one-fifth and use half honey and half sugar. Fruit cake
is an exception to
this rule and all honey may be used.
7. In milk puddings, pie fillings, etc. add the honey with
the thickening agent — e.g., flour, cornstarch, etc.
The following recipes have been thoroughly tested and
proved by the writer
in the Central Experimental Farm kitchen at Ottawa: — [I have chosen two as the recipes for the day.]
HONEY BREAD
2 cups boiling water ½
yeast cake dissolved in
2 tablespoons butter ¼
cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons honey 6
cups sifted flour
2 ½ teaspoons salt
Put honey, butter and salt in a large bowl, pour on boiling
water; when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake and five cups of flour, then
stir until thoroughly mixed, using a knife or mixing spoon. Add remaining flour,
mix, and turn on a floured board, leaving a clean bowl; knead to mix
ingredients until mixture is smooth, elastic to touch and bubbles may be seen
under the surface. Some practice is required to knead quickly. Return to bowl,
cover with a clean cloth and board or tin cover, let rise overnight in temperature
of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. In the morning cut down, toss on board slightly
floured, knead to distribute air, shape into loaves or biscuits, place in
greased pan, having pans nearly full. Cover, let rise again to double its bulk
and bake in a hot oven.
This recipe will make a loaf of bread and a pan of
biscuits.
HONEY ORANGE AND
CARROT MARMALADE
Take six medium-sized, sweet navel oranges (skins only) and
put through a meat grinder using the fine knife. To this add an equal quantity
of carrot prepared in the same way. To each cup of the above combined
ingredients add two cups of water and soak overnight Simmer for two hours,
remove from stove and add the grated rind and juice of six lemons. Let stand
overnight again and simmer until a good jelly test* is obtained. Then to each
cup of the pulp mixture add one cup of honey and ½ cup of sugar, boil to 222
degrees Fahrenheit, let cool slightly, then pour into sterilized jars.
All honey may be used in place of part honey and part
sugar, but this makes a sweeter marmalade.
*To make a jelly test and add one tablespoon of alcohol,
mix and let stand for a few minutes. A thick jelly like substance will form, if
the pulp has had sufficient
simmering.
HONEY ORANGE SYRUP
Take the juice from the oranges used in making orange and
carrot marmalade. To each cup of unstrained juice add one cup of sugar and
the grated rind of half an orange and half a lemon tied in a muslin bag. Boil
all together at 217 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes. Remove from the stove
and add ¾ cup liquid honey and the juice of half a lemon to each cup of
unstrained juice used. Pour into sterile bottles and cap at once.
This makes a very delightful drink for children and should
be used in the proportion of one to two tablespoons to a glass of cold
water.
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