HONEY FOR CAKES AND JAM

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 94, 10 April 1941, Page 45

HONEY FOR CAKES AND JAM

ONEY is one of the finest of the carbohydrate foods, producing energy and heat. It is also quickly absorbed, for it requires no digestion, but begins to pass into the blood through the mucous membrane of the mouth, even before it has been swallowed. Moreover, it contains some element which stimulates digestion, if eaten pure and without having been heated. Dr. John Anderson, of Aberdeen, in a broadcast talk on honey, said-‘"Honey is the best of all stimulants: when you are dead-beat, try a spoonful of honey, and watch the effect. The child who gets all the honey he can eat, and whenever he wants it, will never eat honey to excess, and will develop no interest in sweets. Honey for children is safer than milk, for microbes cannot survive in honey. That is why honey is the only food that can be preserved indefinitely in suitable containers." For Dressing Wounds "Because of its sterility, honey has long been used in the dressing of wounds, and it is particularly soothing and effective when applied to burns." Honey for Anemia The small amount of iron present in honey, and particularly in dark honey, is readily assimilated by human beings, and honey is now a successful rival to raw liver in the treatment of anzemia, which is due to deficiency of iron in the blood. Anzmic children supplied with a ration of honey daily for six weeks were found to have normal red blood at the end of that time. Honey as Substitute for Sugar No special recipes are necessary for using honey instead of sugar. Proceed as usual, but use one-fifth less liquid. For instance, if the recipe calls for one cup of milk, use only four-fifth of a cup, for honey is twenty per cent. water. Use a scant cupful of honey for every cupful of sugar specified. If you wish, you may use part honey and part sugar; but honey definitely improves the flavour of every food in which sugar is needed. Where to Store Do not keep honey in a refrigerator, or a cellar, but in a dry airy place. Harmless to Teeth Honey does not harm the teeth, but contains a certain percentage of calcium and other necessary salts. It also contains Vitamin B.

As a Camouflage If honey is added to olive oil or codliver oil it makes it palatable, so that these excellent oils can be taken comfortably as a remedy for bronchitis and other chest troubles. A really wonderful remedy for a threatened cold is a glass of very hot lemon juice and water, with a big spoonful of honey. It acts as a pick-me-up as well. For Jam Crush the fruit slightly; allow 34 cup of honey to one cupful of fruit. Add half the honey to the fruit, stir well, and allow to stand for an hour. Then heat rather slowly, stirring constantly. Boil for ten minutes or until the fruit is soft. Then add the remainder of the honey, stir well, and cook till the jam will set when tested. Boil rapidly after adding the remainder of the honey. Use your own discretion about adding a little water. It depends on the condition of the fruit; but remember that the honey is itself twenty per cent. water, For Jelly In making jelly, use half honey and half sugar, in the usual proportions, Start as usual, by boiling the fruit, but with a little less water than when using all sugar, and being sure to cook all skins and cores until every bit of jelly substance has been extracted. Then strain as usual. Bring the strained juice to the boil, and boil for ten minutes. Add the sugar, and bring to boiling point again. Then add the honey and cook until the jelly will set when tested. In Icing When making a boiled icing (or frosting) for a cake, add a tablespoon of honey when it is nearly ready to.spread, and the frosting will not harden, In Ice Cream The flavour of any variety of ice cream is very much improved by using all, or part, honey. Use it also as a sauce for plain ice cream by warming it and adding finely chopped nuts. On Porridge Honey is very good on porridge. Let the children try it for a change. Tomato Sauce, using Honey Eight pounds of tomatoes, 2 lbs, block honey, I Ib. large onions, 2 tablespoons salt, I teaspoon ground cloves, I teaspoon cayenne pepper. Cover with vinegar, and boil 3 hours. Will not ferment. Tomato Chutney, using Honey Four pounds of tomatoes, 2 Ibs. sultanas, 1 Ib. dates, 1 lb. apples, 1 large onion, 1 lb, honey, 4% teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon salt, juice of 2

lemons and 14 cup vinegar. Peel and cut up the tomatoes, apples and onions, Put all together and boil 2 hours, Tomato Puree Preserve, with Honey Put as many tomatoes as you intend to use into a pot. Add honey in the proportion of 2 tablespoons of honey to each pound of fruit. NO SALT AND NO WATER. Let it boil for twenty minutes, then fill the preserving jars to overflowing, and screw them down tightly. This is very handy for soups. Sour Cream and Honey When next you have a teacup of sour cream, try this light cake. Six ounces of flour (or 5 ozs. of flour and one of cornflour) sifted well, 2 tablespoons of honey, a teacup of sour cream, 3 ozs. of castor sugar, and one teaspoon of baking powder. Mix the sugar and cream very well first, then add the honey slightly warmed. Beat well. Add the sifted flour and baking powder, and bake in a buttered tin. Honey Gingerbread This was sent me a long time ago by "Bachelor," of Auckland. It is supposed to be the original recipe .of Belgian Gingerbread which used to be famous among tourists. It was generally ornamented with large and lovely pieces of preserved fruit. It is best eaten fresh. One teacup of honey, % Ib. butter, 1 teacup milk, 1 teacup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, cinnamon to taste, 1 dessertspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon carbonate of soda, 2 breakfast cups of flour. Warm together the milk, honey

and butter, and sugar, very slowly, to melt the butter. Use it warm only. Add the soda melted, and add the mixture to the sifted flour and beaten egg. Bake in a greased, papered shallow tin for about an hour in a moderate oven, Lemon Honey Cakes Two ounces of butter, 1% Ib. honey, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 egg, juice and rind of one lemon, ¥ Ib. flour, 1 small teaspoon carbonate of soda. Cream together the butter, egg, sugar, honey, lemon juice and the grated rind. Dissolve the soda in a dessertspoon of milk. Sift in the flour; beat to a smooth consistency. Half fill the greased patty tins, place into a fairly hot oven, and reduce it to moderate. Should take about twelve or fifteen minutes to bake, approximately. Honey Macaroon Tarts Half a pound of flour, yolk of 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of honey, a pinch of salt, a few drops of lemon essence, ¥% Ib. butter, and 4% teaspoon baking powder. Cream together the honey, butter, egg yolk and salt, and essence, sift in the flour, and work to a smooth dough. Line little patty tins with this, and place in each about half a teaspoon of raspberry jam. Now to make the macaroon mixture, beat the white of egg with 3 ozs. of castor sugar until firm, add 2 ozs. of desiccated coconut, with a pinch of cream of tartar. Place a dessertspoonful of the mixture in the tarts on top of the raspberry jam, decorate with strips of pastry, or preserved fruit. Bake in a moderate oven.