Looking for an all-natural sweetener to elevate your baking to the next level? Look no further than honey, a pure ingredient that comes directly from Nature. Why is honey so magical? It can improve the taste and appearance of food and also help it perform better in terms of its structure and longevity.
Each variety of honey has its own unique floral profile, which it can subtly impart to the taste and aroma of baked goods whether they are cakes, cookies, breads, rolls, or bars, etc. However, not only does honey enhance food with its own essence, it can also bring out the flavors of other key ingredients. Honey contains naturally occurring acids like gluconic acid, which augments the flavor of various baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves as well as fruits and nuts.
Because of its high fructose content, honey is sweeter than sugar, which means you can use less honey than sugar in your recipes. Its viscous nature also ensures that your baked goods do not dry out and crack. Another benefit of baking with honey is that it allows for a more evenly browned crust, due to baking at lower temperatures. Furthermore, honey helps protect baked goods from mold growth, thus extending their shelf life – so that you can enjoy them longer.
Honey is a versatile ingredient and easy adaptable to most baking recipes. When substituting honey for sugar in your recipes, divide the amount of sugar called for by half and replace it with honey. You will also need to compensate for the additional moisture and remove liquid from other ingredients. Just decrease the water or other liquid by ¼ cup for every cup of honey used. Remember that for every cup of honey used, increase the baking soda by ½ teaspoon to counteract the acidity of the honey and to allow your baked goods to rise properly. The final tip to keep in mind is that honey bakes faster than sugar so lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent overbrowning.
