All Types of Honey and Slow Cook Honey Pumpkin Bread Pudding

The storm didn’t hit us very hard in upstate New York. We count our lucky stars because it was pretty scary seeing the damage done in and around the City. We have to hope it’s all clear and back to normal by Sunday when the ING NYC Marathon takes to the streets. Good luck runners!

When it’s cold, rainy and windy outside, we need to think sweet thoughts to get our mind off the nasty weather. Think warm slow cooker recipes. Think thick, sweet natural nectar from nature’s own best sugar makers. Bees! Think HONEY!

Did you ever wonder about honey? Why are there different varieties of honey? Where does it come from (other than bees)? If so, get the story at The Sweet Truth Behind Honey. In the meantime, the ACFCHEFS.org offered an article last month by Laurey Masterton, owner of Laurey’s in Downtown Asheville, N.C. Laurey is a beekeeper.

Masterton tells us the bees are pollinators and one of the most effective spreaders of pollen from flower to flower as they collect the base ingredient, nectar. That flower is why honey is not always the same. The bee finds flowers in bloom within 3 to 5 miles of the hive. If the source is an orange blossom, the honey produced is orange blossom honey. If it’s clover, the honey is clover honey. The source flower gives each honey varietal it’s own unique flavor. There is one exception: Wildflower honey which is not one flower it’s a region.

Not only the flavor is unique to different varieties of honey but color as well. Bold flavor will be darker in color. It’s important to note honey color when using it in a recipe because this will make a difference to the taste of your finished recipe. There are honeys that taste like molasses (avocado honey), there are honeys that are light but with a hint of spice (sage honey). You can even alter the taste of honey by infusing it with herbs such as rosemary.

When you use honey in a recipe, taste it first. Use half the granulated sweetener that you would normally use when adding honey to sauces. Use honey in place of sweetener in baked goods up to half the amount and decrease the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup, add 1/2 tsp baking soda, and reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees. Source: ACFCHEFS.ORG, Laurey Masterton.

The following recipe was an inspiration from The Vegetarian Site.

I used honey in the Apple Crumbles version which doesn’t make it vegan friendly but it is Vegetarian friendly and it is most certainly a totally fantastic dessert.