Honey is a healthy ingredient that is used in cosmetology, medicine and cooking. Sugaring bee nectar is a natural process and indicates quality. The main thing is to know how to melt honey so that it remains useful. The wrong technology will render the product useless and likely harmful. Therefore, to make liquid honey, it is better to use gentle methods.

Honey is a living product that goes through several stages of life. at the moment when glucose gradually begins to settle into crystals. The process begins just a few months after collection. Depending on the variety and type, sugaring may begin later.

To prevent the product from becoming sugary for as long as possible, it must be left in conditions of high humidity and closed.

Storing in a warm environment is not beneficial, because this speeds up the crystallization process. If you allow heating above 45°, hydroxymethylfurfural, a substance dangerous to the body, will begin to be released. Therefore, you should not heat honey too much, much less add it to tea.

How to melt?

How to melt it correctly to make liquid honey without losing useful substances? You need to choose one of the methods and prepare. The procedure requires selection of temperature and suitable container.

You shouldn’t melt all your supplies at once; it’s better to take a portion at a time. If you melt it twice, the beneficial properties will disappear.

Helpful Tips:

1. Temperatures should not be allowed above 45°;
2. Do not mix different varieties when lighting;
3. Do not add water;
4. For kindling, allocate a small portion, so the procedure time is reduced.

In addition, it is better to reheat in a glass, ceramic or enamel container. But the choice of container also depends on the melting technology. Plastic utensils are not suitable. The material may react with food and harmful substances will enter the body.

In a water bath

Melting in a water bath is a favorite method of housewives. This is easy to do, the main thing is not to keep the honey in water hotter than 40°. To do this, the container is placed in something larger with hot water. You can't put it on fire.

In a glass jar

How to melt honey in a glass jar? This method is suitable during the heating season. To do this, you need to take a liter jar and place it near the battery. From time to time the container needs to be turned so that the nectar completely melts.

In the microwave

Another way is to use a microwave. But is it possible to heat honey in this way? To prevent it from losing all its beneficial properties, it should be melted in a heat-resistant glass container for no more than two minutes at a power of no more than 600 W.

In the honeycomb

If honey is stored in combs, it can also be melted using a microwave or water bath. Having previously divided them into several parts. At the end of the procedure, you need to collect the debris and wax that rises to the top during melting.

Without loss of beneficial properties

You can melt candied honey in different ways.

1. Lemon contains vitamin C, which is placed in a container with nectar, where the melting process occurs. The result is a powerful remedy for scarlet fever, tonsillitis, acute respiratory infections and others.
2. In hot summer times, the jar can be placed under the scorching rays of the sun. But first, the container must be wrapped in a towel, because ultraviolet rays are harmful to honey.
3. The decrystallizer has a continuous heating surface, so the temperature is evenly distributed throughout the vessel, melting the product faster. In this case, the beneficial substances do not have time to evaporate.

DIY decrystallizer

Since honey decrystallizer is expensive, it is better to make one yourself. The necessary parts for the device, purchased separately, will be more economical than the finished product.

1. The infrared film heated floor is connected to a thermostat to set the required temperature. A layer of isospan is placed on top, the shiny side is turned inward. To speed up the kindling process, isospan is placed on several sides of the container, under the bottom and on the lid.
2. A well-insulated container (box, old refrigerator, etc.) is used for the decrystallizer. A heating element connected to a thermostat is mounted inside.

For large volumes, you can make a honey decrystallizer at home with your own hands, having previously lined the inside surfaces of the rooms with foam plastic boards.

Melted honey is more convenient to consume. The main thing when kindling is to maintain the temperature and conditions and then the product will not lose nutrients.

Knowing how to melt honey correctly so that it does not lose its beneficial properties is very important. Otherwise, this bee gold remains just a sweetness that no longer has healing properties. After pumping, the honey remains liquid for several months, and then the natural process of crystallization begins.

Crystallization

Don't worry if the honey is sugared. Saccharification, or crystallization, is the transition of medicinal sweetness from a liquid form to a solid or very thick one. How this process proceeds is influenced by:

• Variety and its components.
• The amount of water present.
• Glucose level.
• Temperature at which storage takes place.

Please note: both natural healing bee remedy and counterfeit can be candied. However, if the process is not observed for a long time, this indicates the presence of foreign components in the product in large quantities.

Facts about saccharification

• If honey contains more than 20% water, then the saccharization process slows down and you can observe the product in a liquid state for a long time. This confirms that the sweet you purchased was most likely diluted and is of poor quality.
• If there is a liquid layer on the surface of the product, and in deeper layers the crystallization process occurs faster, this means that the bee remedy is still immature and has high humidity. The liquid layer on the surface is fructose and the more of it, the longer the product retains its liquid state.
• The crystallizing components are sucrose and glucose. Melecytose and glucose affect the rate of saccharification, but if the glucose content does not reach 30%, then this process is absent.
• If the storage temperature fluctuates, the hardening of honey accelerates.
• If mineral substances are contained in a given product in large quantities, then crystallization occurs gradually and no layers are formed.

Please note: it is best to store the product in a glass or ceramic container at a temperature of 21 to 27 degrees; there is no need to store honey in the refrigerator.

How not to drown candied honey

Of course, eating honey in solid form is not very convenient, so the logical question arises - how to melt it. But first, let's look at which methods are wrong.

• Myth 1. Honey with hot tea or milk. A piece of thick honey can be added to hot tea or milk, or even better, eat such honey with these drinks. This is not recommended, since in this case the product, as well as when heated, may lose its healing properties.
• Myth 2. Some people talk about how to melt honey in the microwave. This is the easiest and fastest way. The main thing is not to keep it there for long. This method is also not suitable, because honey will lose its natural qualities and changes in its structure will begin.

Attention: at a temperature of 40-50 degrees, an irreversible process begins in the product; by heating it at this temperature, you destroy all useful substances.

Safe methods

Melt honey in a water bath

Perhaps this method is acceptable, but you must make sure that the water temperature does not exceed 40 degrees. Place the jar or bowl of honey in a larger bowl or pan, and pour the last water at the appropriate temperature into the bottom. A safer (but also slower) way for the beneficial elements in the product is to place the jar of honey not directly in the water, but on a metal mesh above a pan of water, or in a second, smaller pan.

Tip: do not heat all the honey at once, set aside only the amount you will eat in the near future. After some time, the honey may thicken again - this is normal. Do not reheat multiple times.

Heating near the battery

This is the best way to make honey liquid at home. Maintain a distance from the battery of 10 to 40 cm (depending on how hot the battery itself is; the hotter it is, the farther away you place the jar). Of course, this method is the slowest, but if useful qualities are more important to you than the aesthetic appearance of the product, then it will suit you.
However, the healthiest honey is honey in its natural state.

Decrystallizer

This is a special device that is used to heat honey. Beekeepers purchase it so that the sale of honey is more successful, because many buyers prefer to purchase this sweetness in a liquid state. The honey decrystallizer (or honey heater) is specially designed in such a way that the product does not lose its beneficial properties when heated. Thanks to the continuous heating surface, the vessel with bee gold is exposed to a uniform temperature distribution. The device is equipped with a sensor that turns off immediately when the readings reach the “dangerous mode” for healing elements.

If you decide to buy this sweetness at a time when several months have already passed since the pumping out (end of summer), and you see a liquid consistency, ask why. This way you will find out whether this natural remedy is natural (it cannot be liquid, for example, in winter or late autumn) and whether it has lost the necessary healing qualities (after all, you may come across unscrupulous resellers or beekeepers, for whom the main thing is to sell their product and who will resort to conventional heating).

Now you know what your actions may be if the honey is candied, what is recommended to do and what is not. Follow simple principles and preserve the beneficial gifts of nature in a pleasant sweetness.

All materials on the Priroda-Znaet.ru website are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any product, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!

Know that it is completely edible. You just need to melt it properly. And now we will find out how to do this.

Melting Features

Very often, a certain amount of product remains in the jars, which candied and hardens. People say: “The one who is not candied is bad.”

Did you know? Honey can not spoil for centuries, while retaining all its beneficial properties. When Tutankhamun's tomb was opened, an amphora with honey was discovered. Its taste has practically not deteriorated over so much time.

And although it slightly loses its beauty and presentation, crystallization does not affect the benefits in any way. If you want to use the remaining frozen product, or just clean the jar, but it’s a pity to throw away the remains of a valuable product - find out how to melt honey.

Let's start with choosing dishes. Depending on the quantity, the product can be stored in glass containers, ceramic dishes or aluminum cans.
For blooming, it is best to use glass or ceramics. If you have a whole can of sugar and it is impossible to get it out with a false can, then burning in such a container is completely acceptable.

Do not melt in plastic containers. This may result in plastic getting into the product or causing an unpleasant odor. Another important point is the temperature regime.

Important! The melting point should not exceed 50°C.

If the temperature is higher, the crystal lattice will collapse completely. Sugar will turn into caramel, all the beneficial properties will disappear and the harmful, toxic substance hydroxymethylfurfural will appear. It is also undesirable to mix several varieties.

If you have a large amount of honey that needs to be melted, do not rush to melt it all. Take the amount that can be consumed in a short period of time.

How to melt candied honey

So, we selected the dishes and decided on the required temperature. Often the product is stored in a glass jar, so first we’ll look at how to melt thickened honey in a jar.

The simplest, fastest and most understandable method is a water bath. To organize the process, we will need two pans of different diameters, water and a thermometer.

Pour water into a larger diameter pan and place a second pan there. They shouldn't touch. Pour water into the second container. We put the dishes with honey. Use a thermometer to control the temperature of the water in the smaller pan; it should not exceed 55°C.
When the water is hot, turn off the stove for 20-30 minutes. If necessary, repeat heating later. To dissolve 300 g of product it will take 40-50 minutes and two heating times.

You can speed up the process by not adding water to the second pan. The jar is placed in one pan with water. It is necessary to provide a stand for the jar to avoid overheating of the product from the hot bottom of the pan. Due to the rapid heating, we carefully monitor the water temperature.

Bank near the radiator or in the sun

A slower, but much more gentle mode is to simply leave the container near the battery, heater or in the sun. This method will teach you how to melt honey in a glass jar.

Nothing complicated. The only condition is to regularly turn the jar to heat the contents evenly. The time of such a procedure is from 8 hours to several days, depending on the temperature.
The sun can also heat the jar to 45-50°C. But this method is suitable for those who live in very sunny places and can leave the container with the product for a very long time under direct rays of light.

Jar in warm water

Fill any suitable container (pan, basin, bath) with hot water and lower the jar into it. Waiting for it to melt. Just don’t forget to maintain and maintain the desired temperature.

This method is simple, but requires about 6-8 hours and adding hot water to raise the temperature.

Uses of lemon

Another interesting way is to use . This method helps to melt honey without losing its beneficial properties, but will also allow you to create a valuable folk remedy for treating colds.

The technology is very simple. Freshly chopped, at the rate of one slice per spoon, is placed in a jar with the product. The honey will begin to melt and mix with the lemon juice. The resulting cocktail has a combination of beneficial properties. It can be used for colds, for smoothies, cocktails and with hot tea.

We reviewed the most popular, traditional and gentle dissolution modes. But modern technology offers another option - using a microwave oven. Below we will look at how to melt honey in the microwave.

Is it possible to melt honey in the microwave?

Disputes about the benefits and harms of a microwave oven often lead to thoughts that, if heated in this way, it will lose all its beneficial properties.

There's really nothing to be afraid of here. Following simple rules will allow you to dissolve and preserve all the beneficial qualities of this product. Proper containers - use only heat-resistant glass containers.

Candied honey is practically no different from sweetness in liquid form, the taste is absolutely similar, but liquid honey is much more convenient to eat than thickened honey. In addition, when baking it is the melted product that is used, so most housewives are interested in how to melt honey without losing its beneficial properties.

Basic Rules

Bee product contains a huge number of different beneficial properties, such as minerals, vitamins, proteins and amino acids. A special feature of this product is that it can quickly crystallize, as a result of which it hardens. It is prohibited to overheat or boil the delicacy, as it may lose its healing properties. If you do not know how to make candied honey liquid, you should follow some rules:

• a ceramic container is required;
• do not overheat;
• do not dilute with boiling water;
• do not drown in large quantities;
• do not mix;

The product should be melted at home only in ceramic or glass containers; in no case should metal or plastic be used for such purposes, because they will add harmful substances to the bee product.

A crystallizing product should not be heated to more than 40 degrees Celsius so that it does not lose its beneficial properties. To cope with candied honey, you do not need to dilute it with boiling water.

The frozen bee product should be heated in small quantities, and best of all, as much as can be eaten at a time, or the required amount for any recipe. After all, honey can be melted at any time, but with constant melting, it can lose its medicinal properties.

Under no circumstances should you mix different types of sweets, or the remains of previous honey in a jar with another type. Based on the rules of how to properly melt honey and how to make it liquid, it follows that if it has become candied, then you need to be patient, because it will have to be heated at a low temperature.

Heating methods

How to make honey liquid and what should you do for this? Almost all people store honey in a glass jar, and once the honey is candied, it is almost impossible to get it out of there, which is why many people are interested in the question of how to melt honey. You can dissolve the sweetness as follows:

• water bath;
• Sun;
• battery;
• in warm water;
• in the microwave;
• using lemon.

In order to melt honey in a water bath, you need two small saucepans of different sizes, a jar of crystallized honey, a wire rack, a spoon and a thermometer. It is necessary to pour water into a large pan, then place the small one so that it does not fall through. Then you should pour water into this pan and place a wire rack.

Place the jar of sweets on this grill and place the saucepan on the fire. The main thing to remember is that the water temperature should not be more than 40 degrees C. A thermometer will help determine the temperature; as soon as it reaches the required level, you should turn off the fire. Thus, you can melt the product and it will not lose its healing qualities.

Sweetness that has already thickened can be melted in the sun; of course, if it is exposed to sunlight, the beneficial properties may disappear, so it is important to monitor the melting process.

You can melt the delicacy that has already become candied near a radiator or stove. To do this, you need to place a jar of treats near the radiator or on the stove. If the battery is too hot, you should place the jar close to it, but control the entire process and rotate the jar so that all its sides melt. Please note that if the bee product is stored incorrectly, it means sugaring the honey ahead of time.

Warm water can also melt bee product that has been subject to crystallization. To do this, turn on the water from the tap and place the jar in the sink, while filling the drain. The water should not exceed the permissible temperature, that is, 40 degrees C.

Will microwaves help?

Many people constantly argue about whether it is possible to melt honey in the microwave. Some of them say that heating a bee delicacy using a microwave contributes to the loss of its beneficial qualities, but you should not overheat the delicacy too much, and then it will retain its healing qualities. If you know how to properly heat a bee product in the microwave, you can “kill two birds with one stone” at the same time, melt the sweetness quickly enough and preserve its beneficial properties.

The dishes must be glass or ceramic. You need to put the plate with the treat in the microwave, cover with a lid, then turn on the appliance at full power for about 1.5 - 2 minutes. Then all that remains is to take out the melted product and pour it into another container that is convenient for you. (a controversial point and it’s better not to do this, but it doesn’t hurt to know)

Using lemon you can melt only a small amount of the product. It is impossible to melt a large amount of treats using this method, and it takes too much time. For example, a small plate, the ideal proportion would be: one spoon of sweetness per one slice of fresh lemon.

The blossoming of bee products is done in various ways; if done correctly, the delicacy will not lose its quality and will delight the whole family.

Sweetness in the honeycomb

Honey is candied in honeycombs quite rarely, but if this does happen, then there is no need to rush and melt them into a liquid delicacy. You can simply cut them into small pieces, and then eat them as a substitute for candy or some other store-bought and unhealthy sweets.

Honeycombs that have been chewed can be either spat out or swallowed, at your discretion, because this will not cause harm to the body, but on the contrary, it will be beneficial, because honeycombs consist exclusively of natural substances, which are often used as a cure for many diseases.

A few words about how honey should not be melted under any circumstances. For example, this is adding a treat to hot tea or hot milk. As you know, at high temperatures the product loses its beneficial and healing properties, and boiled water exceeds 40 degrees Celsius. It is for this reason that you should not add treats to boiling water. It is best to eat a spoonful and drink it with hot tea or milk.

Summarize

So, the candied delicacy has the same smell and taste as the melted one. But, eating sweets in a liquid state is much more convenient, for example, spreading it on a loaf or pouring it over some dessert, and besides, for many recipes it is the liquid consistency of the bee product that is required. Melting the delicacy will not be difficult, but you should do it correctly so that it does not lose its beneficial qualities.

You can melt it in several ways, for example, in a water bath, in warm water, in the sun (but with caution), using a stove or radiator, using lemon. The main thing is to remember one important rule - the heating temperature should not exceed 40 degrees Celsius, otherwise the benefits from the product will disappear, and you should also not add the treat to hot tea or boiled milk, for the same reason.

The best option is to simply eat a spoonful of sweets and drink tea. Treats in honeycombs do not need to be melted, because honeycombs can be cut into small pieces and used instead of store-bought treats that contain a lot of sugar. Eating honeycomb is much healthier.

1. Sugar content. Honey with a glucose content of more than 28% crystallizes quickly. The higher the content of this carbohydrate, the faster this process occurs. Honeydew honey with a melecitose content of more than 10% crystallizes into the so-called “cement” honey.
2. Temperature. The most suitable temperature for honey crystallization is considered to be from 10°C to 18°C, a constant temperature of 14°C is optimal. At low temperatures, the crystallization process slows down. In the freezer, honey remains liquid for a longer time. Rapidly crystallizing honey, for example from rapeseed, forms a finely crystalline structure. At higher temperatures (more than 25°C) the process also slows down. In this case, the honey crystallizes with a coarse crystalline structure.
3. Water content. The water content of honey from 15% to 18% is optimal for crystallization. Honeys with more or less water content crystallize more slowly. Crystallized honey with a water content of 17% to 18% has the best fluidity. Honey with a lower water content has a harder crystalline structure, while honey with a water content of more than 18% has a softer crystalline structure.
4. Controlled crystallization. Controlled crystallization is applied to rapidly crystallizing flower honeys to avoid the formation of “frost” and large crystals. There are two procedures: mechanical crushing of crystals by stirring the honey and adding 5% to 10% fine-crystalline honey to liquid honey as a crystallization center, followed by stirring. You can mix using motor-driven devices, for example, powerful hand drills with a triangular nozzle; for large quantities, special devices (with a power of more than 800 W) are most suitable.

Crystallization defects

Formation of "frost". () In some honeys with low humidity, “frost” appears on the surface. These are voids that are formed by air during crystallization. The formation of “frost” is a natural process that does not impair the quality of honey. It can be prevented by using a vacuum for packaging and subsequent controlled crystallization of honey and storage at a constant temperature of about 14 ° C.

Rough crystallization. () This phenomenon occurs in slowly crystallizing honey, as well as after honey blooms, which reduces the subsequent rate of honey crystallization. It can be prevented by controlled crystallization.

Formation of two phases. () This defect occurs when honey with a high water content (more than 18%) and at high temperatures crystallizes. Or honey from different honey plants ended up in one container.

Blooming and softening of crystallized honey

Heating honey is the most widely used method. In accordance with the Codex Alimentarius and other guidelines, honey must not be heated as this significantly reduces its quality. Thus, honey should be dissolved in such a way as to avoid harm from it. The dissolution time depends on the concentration of glucose and the crystalline form: the higher its content and the larger the crystals, the more time is required for this procedure.

Reference

Codex Alimentarius (lat. Codex Alimentarius - Food Code) is a set of international food standards adopted by the FAO/WHO International Commission for the Implementation of a Code of Standards and Regulations for Food Products. Codex standards cover essential food products - both processed and prepared foods and unprocessed foods.

Exposing honey to high temperatures for a long time will spoil it, reduce the intensity of the aroma, and, in extreme cases, give the product a “caramel” taste. Overheating is most easily determined by measuring the hydroxymethylfurfural content and enzyme activity of honey (see table below). Therefore, honey must be heated carefully.

Heating at low temperatures

It is often prescribed not to heat honey above 40°C to prevent overheating. However, higher temperatures are necessary to completely dissolve all crystals. Crystallized honey is a very weak conductor of heat, so it must be stirred to reduce the decrystallization time. Heating for 1-2 days at a temperature of 40-50 ° C will not harm honey. There are different ways to heat honey.

Heating honey in a water bath

From the point of view of optimal heat transfer, this type of heating is the best. 25 kg of honey is heated in a water bath to 40° for 43 hours, while heating with air requires 72 hours. For practical reasons, water bath heating is used for volumes up to 25 kg. There are only a few suitable commercial technologies for water bath heating.

Heating honey with air

This type is widely used. Compared to a water bath, air heating requires a longer time. When heating large quantities of honey, air circulation must be used to prevent overheating. For the blooming of crystallized flower honey with a water content of 17.5%, the following relationship was found between container size, temperature and blooming time:

Heating honey on an electric stove

This type of heating is widely used by small beekeepers and is suitable for volumes of no more than 25 kg. However, in order to prevent overheating, there should be an air gap of 5~6 cm between the stove and the container. According to manufacturers, heating 25 kg to 45 ° C will dissolve honey within 24-48 hours.

Heating honey with specialized heaters

Crystallized honey can be heated using an electric heater, which is gradually lowered as the honey melts. Melitherm heaters developed by Spurgin are used to dissolve honey in some European countries. This method of dissolving this product is particularly gentle and does not cause any harm to it, although the crystals do not completely dissolve.

Heating at higher temperatures: pasteurization

In some countries, honey is heated to break down the honey crystals and kill the yeast through pasteurization. The commercial practice of pasteurization is Instant heating to 70-78°C for a few seconds, then rapid cooling to minimize heat damage.

Commercial practice is described in detail (TOWNSEND, G. F. (1975) Processing and storing liquid honey, In Crane, E (ed.), Heinemann, London: pp 269-292.). After pasteurization, diastase activity and hydroxymethylfurfural content remain almost unchanged, while invertase activity decreases.

Some countries, mainly North America, use pressure filtration to purify honey after pasteurization. As a result, honey becomes very pure and remains in a liquid state for a long time (due to the absence of crystallization centers). Dissolved pasteurized honey crystallizes slowly to form large crystals. The disadvantage of this procedure is that pollen is filtered out, making it impossible to control the claimed botanical and geographical origin.

Blooming honey using electromagnetic waves

Different types of waves can be used to bloom honey:

• Ultrasonic waves (above 20 kHz).
• Microwave (915 MHz to 2450 MHz).
• Infrared oven(1500 MHz - 400000 MHz).

Microwave and infrared ovens are suitable and widespread in commercial production. Honey can be dissolved very quickly due to its special composition. Microwave ovens with frequencies ranging from 915 MHz to 2450 MHz are widely used for heating food and can be used to dissolve honey. However, research shows that both types of ovens cause an increase in hydroxymethylfurfural content and a decrease in enzyme activity, the effect of which depends on the time and amount of energy applied, as well as the type of honey. Thus, taking into account all the above factors, in order to avoid causing damage to the quality of honey, special microwave ovens must be designed for its dissolution.

Desorption (removal) of water in honey

In honey with a high water content, it is necessary to reduce the humidity before pumping it out, that is, in the combs, by placing the hives in warm rooms and using dehumidifiers. This does not cause difficulties for beekeepers and this procedure does not have a significant impact on the quality of honey.

However, if too wet honey has already been collected, its humidity can be reduced with a special device. This leads to loss of volatile substances and aroma of honey. Thus, this method is also not permissible under the Codex Alimentarius and other standards for honey, as they stipulate that “no constituents shall be removed from honey except as is unavoidable when removing foreign inorganic or organic substances.”