HONEY FOR HEALTH

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 479, 27 August 1948, Page 22

HONEY FOR HEALTH

N every age, man has delighted in honey. Not only is it the finest of carbohydrate foods, but it also contains a small amount of iron (particularly dark honey) which is readily assimilated and most beneficial to anaemic people. Honey requires actually no digestion, does not harm the teeth, does not ferment in the stomach, and is a very quick stimulant. Try eating a big spoonful of honey when you feel "dead beat." It is a natural sugar, processed by the bee; and is always safe to eat, for microbes and bacteria do not survive in pure honey. It keeps indefinitely, and needs no refining or Sterilizing. It is delightful on porridge or any breakfast food, or on puddings. It can be warmed a little, to make it pour, and a squeeze of lemon-juice ‘added to it gives a special flavour. Candied Honey All honey will "candy" in time, especially if it is kept at a low temperature. To melt it, set the container in hot water until it re-liquefies, but on no account boil it, or the flavour will be spoilt. Honey in Cakes It has been found that cakes made with butter and honey (except fruit cake) retain their freshness longer if some sugar is used instead of all honey. But sponges made with honey and no butter stay fresh longer than when made ‘with sugar. Honey adds richness to the flavour of any cake or sweet. If substituting honey for sugar. in a cake, make allowance for the higher moisture in honey; you will need less liquid in your mixture. Honey Sponge Cake This is an Australian recipe. Three eggs, 1. scant tea-cup of honey; 1 teacup of flour; 1 small teaspoon of baking powder; pinch of salt; 2 dessertspoons of cold water. Separate the whites and yolks of two of the eggs. Beat the 2 whites with the honey till stiff. Beat up the third egg and the 2 yolks, and gently stir into the first mixture. Now fold in lightly, the flour. well sifted with the salt and the baking powder; and gently mix in the water. Bake in wellgreased sandwich-tins in a moderate oven. Filling: 2 tablespoons each of butters and honey, with vanilla to taste, beaten to a cream. Honey Lemon Cheese Three eggs, ¥2lb. sugar, 441b. honey; 1%41b. butter, the juice of 3 lemons and the grated rind of two. Beat the eggs well. Put all ingredients in a double saucepan, or basin, and cook in outer saucepan of water until thick, stirring frequently. Honey Shortbread This is a very old isndtbavan recipe, given to me by a Link in our Daisy Chain. Melt a pound of honey and mix in 2 dessertspoons of butter; bring to boil. Then cool a little and add gradually llb. of flour sifted with

one teaspoon of baking soda. Work this all together and keep in a cool place (not a refrigerator) for 24 hours. Turn it on to a floured board, and work in some spices-say ¥% teaspoon each of ground cloves, nutmeg and cinnamonalso a little chopped candied peel. Roll it out to half an inch thick, brush it evenly all over with yolk of egg, and bake till cooked and brown in a moderate oven. Cut into pieces while hot. Keep in an airtight tin. Honey Macaroon Tarts This was sent to me by "A Bachelor." Yolk of 1 egg, Ylb. flour, 4% teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon honey, pinch of salt, few drops of essence of lemon, %lb. butter. Cream together the honey, butter, egg-yolk and salt, Then sift in the flour and baking powder, working it to a smooth dough. Line about 2 dozen patty tins with this rolled-out dough, and put a teaspoon of raspberry jam in each. Now make the macaroon with the white of the egg, as follows. Beat the white till firm with 3oz. of sugar (caster is best), adding 20z. of desiccated coconut and a pinch of cream of tartar. Put a dessertspoon of this on top of the jam in each patty tin, and decorate with thin strips of the pastry-cuttings rolled out. Honey Salad Dressing (Australian) This is delicious with crisp lettuce, Stir together % cup honey and % cup lemon juice, add 1% teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons of fresh grated pineapple. Honey Ginger Nuts This was sent in by "Hard-hearted Hannah," of Lower Hutt, who makes them for her family, Mix together 1 cup honey, 1 cup sugar, 42 cup melted butter and 1 beaten egg. Sift in 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger and a’ pinch of salt. Add 1 cup chopped nuts and mix all together. Drop in spoonful lots on to a greased tray and bake in a moderate oven about 25 minutes. Honey in Frostings When making a boiled frosting for a cake, add one tablespoonful of honey when it is nearly ready to spread, and your frosting’ will not harden. The flavour of all varieties of ice-cream is much improved by using all, or part, honey. Use warm honey and chopped nuts as a sauce for plain jce-cream. Honey-Mead This was given to me as a good drink. Beat the whites of 2 eggs slightly and put in a large pan with 3 gallons of water, 5lb. of honey, oz. each of mace and cinnamon and a small piece of root ginger, bruised. Stir briskly till the mixture reaches boiling point, then simmer gently for 1 hour. Let it cool and strain into a cask, then stir in 1 tablespoon of dried yeast. Cover the bung-hole with a folded cloth till fermentation ceases, then close it tightly and let the cask stand in a cool, dry place for 9 months. Draw off the mead carefully from the sediment and bottle it, corking tightly. It is now ready for use, but is much improved by keeping.