National Honey Board's Recommended Honey Pairings

Honey works well in so many different recipes, but some very specific groups work much better than others when it comes to using our favorite natural sweetener. The National Honey Board website is a tremendous resource for ideas on how to use honey, offering a wide variety of recipes and yes, pairing information.

Natural Sweeteners

Today, there is a major concentration on removing added sugars from our diet, so honey is a great alternative for those that still want a sweet punch but don’t want to use pounds of regular sugar or any of those alternative sweeteners. Some of those sweeteners taste fine in moderation, but when used in bulk, the results can be much different. Honey also offers a wide variety of flavoring options rather than just pure sweetness.

For instance, look at the different kinds of honey we offer here at Manuka Honey USA. Our regular MF Manuka honey has a floral hint and a slight caramel flavor. The Manuka Honey UMF 16+ is probably unlike anything you have probably ever tasted in the honey family. The caramel flavor explodes the moment it hits your tongue. New Zealand Blue Borage honey is breakfast time favorite with a delicate bouquet and a very creamy taste. Finally, there is Pohutukawa honey, one of my personal favorites. It too has a rich, creamy taste, with a slightly salty finish, making it perfect to use in any dessert with chocolate or caramel.

Recommended Pairings from National Honey Board

Honey and Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate, over the last few years, has become very popular in health circles. It has far fewer ingredients and sugar than milk or white chocolates. However, it can have a bit of a bitter taste to it, which is why dipping it in raw honey is the perfect marriage.

Honey and Spice

If you are a cook or a baker, you probably already know the best ways to use honey to complement a dish. We find this to be especially true in recipes using a little heat. Honey can offset some of that heat, allowing the true flavors of the spices or “hot” ingredients, such as habanero peppers or the like. If you make your own hot sauce, give it a try. If you prefer to buy hot sauces, give something like Tabanero hot sauce (they use agave to sweeten up their sauce) a try, and you will be amazed at the added flavor honey adds to the sauce.

Honey and Alcohol

Honey and alcohol have always been a match made in heaven. Going back to ancient times when mead wine was regularly on the dinner table to modern days when honey is being added to everything from craft beer to bourbon. Chocolate has also been an ingredient that is booming in both liquors as well as drink recipes, and it is often accompanied by honey. If you have a drink cocktail recipe that is not quite there yet, think about adding a teaspoon of honey and see if that does the trick.

Source: CandyIndustry.com

Want to try some of these pairings with what we believe to be the best raw honey on the market today? To get your order started, click here. And, remember, we offer FREE shipping on all orders of $150 or more.