Soft Set Honey

[Abbee]

We have about 20 jars that crystallised so we thought we'd make soft set honey from them.
Tried to find info here but all the posts I found are referring to rape seed. We are nowhere near any rape seed fields.
On the net it is suggested you just liquidise the crystalised honey.
To experiment I blitsed half a jar with a hand held Braun liquidiser. It looked great, felt great on the tongue. Left it to settle.
After a couple of days checked. Its really light coloured at the top and set and gradually gets darker and runnier at the bottom. I mix it then after a couple of days same thing. Is this supposed to happen? Can't really give/sell any that way.
I also thought I'd try the seed route. So bought good quality soft set honey to use as a seed. I understand from the net that you warm up your honey to liquify the crystals, then after it cools, you stir in the creamed honey (ratio: 1_10)
Then other posts mention fermenting. I thought Honey never goes off so very confused.
Any advise please?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don't liquefy the crystals. Just warm so that it's runny.
Melt your original completely.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kLGE-7n0_Ko

 

[For want of a better word]

Don't liquefy the crystals. Just warm so that it's runny.
Melt your original completely.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kLGE-7n0_Ko

That is the best recipe ever..

..was it by Rooftops from some years back, moved from Kingsbridge to Modbury and was a good friend of James T? something... another ex Beekeeperers forum member from Devonshire.

Of course back then we all got 30 kg of honey from every colony!!

Yeghes da

 

[Erichalfbee]

That is the best recipe ever..

..was it by Rooftops from some years back, moved from Kingsbridge to Modbury and was a good friend of James T? something... another ex Beekeeperers forum member from Devonshire.

Of course back then we all got 30 kg of honey from every colony!!

Yeghes da

Yes....Rooftops with his mellifluous voice
He used to run Modern Beekeeping didn't he.

 

[For want of a better word]

run or ruin?

Nos da

 

[Millet]

That is a good video but i find the information basic, he should have made it longer and added the process of making the seed to clarify things for beginners, it is easy saying use a mortar and pestle to grind the crystals but how long do you do it for, i know but others will not, best method i ever did was recommended by Redwood, that was stick the seed in a food blender, job sorted very quickly.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That is a good video but i find the information basic, he should have made it longer and added the process of making the seed to clarify things for beginners, it is easy saying use a mortar and pestle to grind the crystals but how long do you do it for, i know but others will not, best method i ever did was recommended by Redwood, that was stick the seed in a food blender, job sorted very quickly.

How long do you put it in the blender for?

 

[Millet]

How long do you put it in the blender for?

It depends on how precise you want to be but 1lb of untouched warmed honey for seed is smashed to bits within 30 seconds but one minute makes sure the job is done.

Edited. depending on your make of food blender.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It depends on how precise you want to be but 1lb of untouched warmed honey for seed is smashed to bits within 30 seconds but one minute makes sure the job is done.

Edited. depending on your make of food blender.

I might try that.
Still need to taste it to see if it's really fine enough but worth a go.

 

[Millet]

Similar

http://www.hughes.co.uk/small-appli...-mixers-blenders-soup-maker/rus-14449/product

 

[B+.]

he should have made it longer and added the process of making the seed to clarify things for beginners, it is easy saying use a mortar and pestle to grind the crystals but how long do you do it for

making the seed;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWugwfMct9o

 

[Abbee]

.....best method i ever did was recommended by Redwood, that was stick the seed in a food blender, job sorted very quickly.

When you say blender is that with paddles or blades? Would a liquidiser do?

When I tried this with a small amount it settles after a day with set and very light at the top and darker and runnier at the bottom. I stir it every day but still like that after a month.
Could it be that I used the hand held blades blender?

 

[Hachi]

That is a good video but i find the information basic, he should have made it longer and added the process of making the seed to clarify things for beginners, it is easy saying use a mortar and pestle to grind the crystals but how long do you do it for, i know but others will not, best method i ever did was recommended by Redwood, that was stick the seed in a food blender, job sorted very quickly.

I missed that have you a link please M?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I missed that have you a link please M?

This is the link
The post is on the first page
http://www.m.hughes.co.uk/small-app...-mixers-blenders-soup-maker/rus-14449/product

You have to destroy the crystals till you can't feel them on your tongue and the honey is smooth.
Then you have to make sure there isn't a single crystal in the honey you are setting

 

[Millet]

When you say blender is that with paddles or blades? Would a liquidiser do?

When I tried this with a small amount it settles after a day with set and very light at the top and darker and runnier at the bottom. I stir it every day but still like that after a month.
Could it be that I used the hand held blades blender?

I used a blender similar to the one in the link i posted with the sharp blades, it has two speeds i turned the blender i used on at full speed, i have not tried a liquidizer so i can not comment, just give it a try with a small amount of honey and see how it turns out.

 

[Millet]

making the seed;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWugwfMct9o

I have watched that before P and it is well explained but to be honest it would do my head in faffing about like that especially if i had a few hundred pounds of rape honey to seed.

 

[Hachi]

This is the link
The post is on the first page
http://www.m.hughes.co.uk/small-app...-mixers-blenders-soup-maker/rus-14449/product

You have to destroy the crystals till you can't feel them on your tongue and the honey is smooth.
Then you have to make sure there isn't a single crystal in the honey you are setting

My bad both I meant a link to Redwood's post sorry

 

[thenovice]

I am a novice in this. my first batch I addedd 1/10 soft set from a colleague in completely melted honey and bottled it. it ended up ok but a little grainy. The trick I used in my second batch was to stir it with a stainless cement mixer every 12h for a couple of times. the result is a perfectly smooth soft set. Won the prize for best honey in our club tasting last year.

 

[Millet]

I am a novice in this. my first batch I addedd 1/10 soft set from a colleague in completely melted honey and bottled it. it ended up ok but a little grainy. The trick I used in my second batch was to stir it with a stainless cement mixer every 12h for a couple of times. the result is a perfectly smooth soft set. Won the prize for best honey in our club tasting last year.

You might be a Novice and so am i but after talking to someone who is not a novice that is the best way to do it, well slightly different to your method but nae on the same, i was dreading next years Spring mixed honey with rape in there and the thought about messing on with blenders or mortar and pestle was slightly depressing me, now i know i do not have to do that i am a bit more relaxed about next years set honey.

 

[Beefriendly]

stir every 12h for a couple of times. the result is a perfectly smooth soft set. Won the prize for best honey in our club tasting last year.

Well done.
Professional honey creamers work on a similar principal, they are like a large butter churn and once you have added the seed honey they have a 15 minute work/1 hour rest cycle which you can repeat for a few days. Excellent results, just like butter. Seeding and leaving doesn't work very well in my hands.
But now I've got it automated I can sit back and let modern technology do the work.