Soft Set problem

[Mandeville]

Mandeville air would cause some of the froth under lid but not the frosting

If it's not air, do you have any clues as to what has caused the spotty frosting?
It hasn't happened with the first batch I made. Could it be something to do with the seeding honey?

 

[Beefriendly]

I think without a detailed explanation of how you made your soft set it will be difficult to trouble shoot.
One thing worth remembering is that if simply left to set after a first mixing you get uneven sized crystals forming in different places. Some large.some small. It's possible this is what is happening in yours, with areas of large crystals being formed that later aren't fluid enough to flow about with any volume changes, hence frosting.
It's why mixing and shearing the larger forming crystals over a few days is very important to get a proper soft set.
A proper soft set honey will never give you frosting as it is a very thick liquid that flows into air gaps forming.

 

[Mandeville]

I gave it a second mixing after about 24 hours and then bottled it up the next day. Maybe I didn't mix it for long enough? Should I have done a third mixing?

Is the temperature of the seed honey critical?

 

[drex]

Perhaps it is just about use of words. However you are not really trying to mix the honey. What you are trying to do is break up any crystals that form into smaller crystals. For about three days I will agitate my honey for several minutes, several times a day. I use my own design of stainless steel paddle, in a cordless drill, run at very slow speed

 

[Millet]

Regrettably, most of my family don't really like honey! And those that do, have got enough to keep them going for several years -I had a bumper crop last season.

I think melting it is probably what I'm going to have to do. I was thinking of trying FatShark's suggestion of just softening it enough to stir it up a bit, but .... won't that just introduce yet more air?

Warm it back up to 45C or a tad higher..i use a paint mixing paddle in my drill that pulls it from the bottom instead of the top..that way if done relatively slowly no air bubble are induced..as mentioned by BF it need's stirring for 5/10mins every hour to get the best results (but slow)..the hourly timing is impossible unless automated but if you can stir it when you have time it will work ok..
After that leave it in the warming cabinet at 35C for 24hrs..any air bubbles will rise...then bottle or Jar..
I get tortured with Oil Seed Rape every year and that is the palava i have to go through but it works for me..

 

[Mandeville]

Thank you all for those hints and tips - that's really helpful. I think I just didn't give it enough stirring. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with the current batch, but I know better what to do in future.