Dandelion-Infused Honey Recipe
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Bees love them, and they no doubt improve shoddy soil, yet homeowners have considered them the bane of their existence amongst their lush green grasses. Are dandelions truly a weed, or should a gardener redefine their relationship to the inevitable spring and summer flower?
Not only is dandelion root tea becoming popular in big-box stores, we’re learning more and more how full of vitamins and nutrients the hardy plant is. Leaves can be eaten raw like arugula or cooked like spinach; roots can be dried or roasted for a nutty tea, and flowers can be consumed raw or baked in goods.
Due to its overall bitterness, dandelions benefit greatly from a slight sweetness. With the greens, a roasted sweet potato balances out the bitter, and with the root, stevia or chamomile can mellow the tea. Using the natural sugar of bees, the taste of the dandelion flower can benefit from one of my favorite ways: infusing them into a beautiful golden honey to use with teas, baking, and more.
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Harvesting Dandelion Flowers
Choose a sunny early afternoon after the dew has dried, when the flowers are in bloom and the pollen and nectar remain on the petals. Remember that rain will wash away these delicious components, so choose to harvest when it’s been dry for a day. Remember to forage for dandelions that have not been treated with chemicals for at least two years, as dandelions absorb heavy metals and other pollutants into their leaves (phytovolatilization)[1]An Overview of the Phytoremediation of Lead and Mercury. This also includes dandelions along roadsides or heavy foot traffic.
Pop off the flowers at the base of the head without acquiring too much stem. The more green on your dandelion, the more bitter your harvest, but the majority of the green can be removed after cleaning, as the involucre (the green bit surrounding the seeds) will keep the petals together while washing.
Rinse the flowers in warm water, then dilute lemon juice in a new batch of water and allow the flowers to soak for about two minutes. This will help remove further bacteria without compromising on taste. Allow your flowers to dry for just a few minutes, or pat off excess water gently with a clean towel.
Infusing Dandelions in Honey
Clean one or two half-pint jars (depending on how many dandelion heads you picked!) and allow them to dry.
You can either keep the dandelion heads intact or take off all greens to reduce bitterness. I personally removed the bottom part of the greens but allowed enough on to keep the flowers together. This is an aesthetic choice, but it will also be easier to extract only honey when the infusing process is complete, which can be beneficial if texture is an issue. The flowers will detach overtime, but some will stay together through the process. I have tried both with petals incorporated fully into the honey and flowerheads intact, and the only difference is eating petals or not.
Place the flowers in the container and pour raw honey over the dandelions until nearly full (but not all the way!). Using a wooden stirring stick or chopstick, assist the honey in reaching all of the folds, completely encompassing the submerged flowers. Air pockets promote bacterial growth, whereas honey is antibacterial (and a preservative), which will prevent the dandelions from decomposing. This is another reason why intact flowerheads are beneficial, because it is harder to completely submerge petals.
Top off with a bit more honey and close the jar with the lid and ring. Allow the mixture to sit in a dark place out of direct sunlight for about two weeks. The dandelions will compress in size significantly, and they may lose some of their bright color, but rest assured that this is just part of the preservation process in the honey.
Make sure you turn your honey everyday by flipping the jar over and allowing the floating flowers to become coated in honey again and again! Depending on the moisture content of your flowers, the honey will become more liquid as it more or less “ferments” the flower. This will NOT turn to mead, which requires the introduction of a yeast, and the natural yeasts of your home will not change the composition enough to produce a large alcohol quantity.
After the two-week duration, try a bit of the honey! There will be delicate hints of nectar, and possibly a tinge of bitterness from the greens. Enjoy a dollop in tea, use the sweetener in baked goods, or drizzle on a slice of homemade bread!
Infusion Quick Process
- Harvest pesticide-free dandelion flower heads away from roadways.
- Gently rinse with warm water, then again with 1 tsp lemon juice per cup of water.
- Dry dandelions with towel, or let them air dry for a few minutes.
- Clean a half-pint jar and lid.
- You may remove the green bits on the dandelion heads, or keep them intact.
- Place flowers in jar and pour raw honey over them.
- Use wooden spoon or chopstick to completely submerge them in honey.
- Top off with more honey and close the jar with its lid.
- Allow mixture to sit for about 2 weeks, turning it over daily to recoat the flowers.
- Enjoy in tea, cookies, or on bread!
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