There are so many things you could dry in a dehydrator. But, did you know that you could also dehydrate honey? This food is a perfect addition to any meal you want to sweeten. Dried one looks and tastes good. It improves our immune system as one of the best sources of energy, and when you are consuming it in this form, it has the same benefits.
Honey has a fantastic shelf life when it is in its natural form. It can last indefinite in the tightly sealed jar if it is not stored in humid or darkness condition. But, when it is dehydrated it ensures even better shelf life wherever it is stored.
A good quality dehydrator ensures there will be no crystallization or discoloration because it will take the moisture out of the honey. The yeast can spoil the sweet taste of it, but this unit can prevent that. Do you want to hear the good news? It is very easy to make dehydrated honey, but when your guest sees this sweet embellishment, they will think you went to a lot of trouble.
After the process you may use it for desserts, to sprinkle it over after you have ground it in little crystals or if you make the powder. You may also try some delicious honey powder recipes from our kitchen. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
Our top two picks for dehydrating honey!
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How to Dry Honey?
Before starting the process check our dehydration guide to see if you’re missing out something. You’ll see, it’s pretty simple. All you have to do is follow these simple steps, and you will make it in no time.
1. Spread It
On the surface spread this food on a baking sheet or a puree sheet, in a fragile layer so that the moisture can escape. If your unit didn’t come with the puree sheet, then you can use parchment paper on the regular tray. It is essential that the layer of the honey is 1/8 inch thick. If you prefer, you can sprinkle over some ground cinnamon or ginger to add a little flavor.
2. Dehydrate It
The first thing you need to know is that you can’t dry it on the high temperature because it can get burn. The perfect heat to dehydrate honey is the 120 degrees F. Just place the honey in the unit and let it dry for a few hours. Don’t forget to check it from time to time so you can make sure that it is adequately dried. It can’t be too sticky after the drying process. If that happens, you just continue to dehydrate it until is done.
3. Cool It Off
When it is brittle enough to break into pieces, you need to remove the honey from the appliance. Leave it to cool. During this cooling process, you can’t store it in the area where moisture or humidity is present. Place it in a dry room to keep out any additional moisture.
4. Grind It Up
When the honey is dehydrated, use it for grinding purposes, after you have removed it from the trays of the appliance. Use a spatula to remove it from the trays and then break it to the pieces. Place the dried pieces of the honey into the blender once they cool. The unit will grind them into a substance that is sugar-like which is the final step. Dried honey powder or sugar can be used with different baked goods as a natural sweetener. It all depends on your personal preference do you want to consume it in a powder form or small crystal pieces.
5. Storage
The dried honey can’t come in contact with any moisture, so it needs to be stored in a sealed container. If you save it correctly, you can increase its shelf life. Shift in the tank the dried honey as quickly as possible. Use it to enhance the sweetness of the different desserts, for example, cookies or cakes. Open the jar only when you need to take the honey, to provide its longer shelf life.
Benefits of the Dehydrated Honey
1. Dried honey is an excellent substitute for sugar, many different researches and studies have confirmed. We get a lot of vitamins and minerals from it. When you compare it to the white sugar, its glycemic index level is very low.
2. Crystallized or powdered food has a long shelf life. It can last for several months if you store it properly. When we are baking any dessert, we can use this healthy option to sweeten them.
3. With the dried honey you can prepare some delicious and lip-smacking recipes because it works almost the same as sugar. The cookies will be soft and fluffy. Because of its lighting consistency, you could use it for frosting. The best thing is that your dessert won’t dry after two days when you are using this sweetener.
Nutrition Facts
“Honey is a natural, pure and wholesome food. There are no added ingredients. Honey is a fat-free, trans fat-free and cholesterol free food. It is also an excellent source of ENERGY! Composed primarily of fructose, glucose, and water, honey also contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Of recent interest is the antioxidant content of honey. Honey contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids which act as antioxidants, scavenging and eliminating free radicals. Generally, darker honey, such as buckwheat, have higher antioxidant content than lighter honey.” according to Dutch Gold.
Conclusion
As you can see, dehydrating honey is very simple when you are following our steps precisely. When you have a perfect dehydrator at home, it makes it easier to do it properly. As one of the white sugar’s best alternatives, you can use it in numerous desserts and other foods.
People usually look to substitute the unhealthy choices with the healthy options because they are becoming more conscious when it comes to a better food alternative. We hope that this article helps you to learn how to make dried honey on your own.
You say to dehydrate honey for a few hours. I’ve had my honey in the dehydrator for 4 days now at 125 degrees. It’s still very sticky. Any better advice?
Mine has been in for 24 hours now a very thin layer and still sticky
Days of drying time, not hours. Don’t think it’s lack of the “perfect” dehydrator, since mine works great for everything else.
I have a very expensive industrial food dehydrator. Just started a run, I’ll let you now how it works.