To dehydrate honey in a food dehydrator, pour a thin layer on a prepared dehydrator tray. Set the dehydrator temperature to 120 degrees F and let the honey dry for up to 24 hours, or until hard and brittle. Store the dried honey in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
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Can You Dehydrate Honey?
Yes, you can dehydrate honey in an oven or food dehydrator. Honey is a natural preservative, and its flavor and nutritional values are retained when dehydrating it. Dehydrating honey extends its shelf life and makes it easier to transport.
How to Dry Honey and Make Honey Powder in a Food Dehydrator
Here are the steps to dry honey in a food dehydrator:
- Pick a non-stick fruit leather tray to dehydrate honey. If your dehydrator doesn’t come with non-stick trays, you can line the dehydrator tray with parchment paper. This prevents the honey from sticking to the tray.
- Put a thin layer of honey on the dehydrator tray, no more than 1/8-inch thick. A thick layer will take longer to dry.
- Adjust the dehydrator temperature to the lowest setting or 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Honey can lose some of its flavor and quality at higher temperatures.
- Place the honey tray in the dehydrator and let it dry for 2-5 hours. The drying time depends on the thickness of the layer of honey and the dehydrator. Check the honey periodically to monitor the drying process.
- Check for dryness by ensuring that the honey is brittle and breaks easily. Dried honey is no longer sticky or tacky to the touch.
- Remove the dehydrator trays from the dehydrator and set them on a countertop to cool to room temperature.
- To make honey powder, break the shards of dried honey into pieces and blend them in a food processor or use a mortar and pestle to grind the honey into a fine powder (optional).
- Transfer the dried honey or honey powder into airtight containers.
- Store it in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight.
How to Use Honey Powder
- In baking: Use honey as a natural sweetener instead of brown sugar or white sugar in baked goods to add moisture and flavor.
- In smoothies: Honey powder adds sweetness while thickening smoothies.
- In yogurt: Add a sweet and tasty topping by dusting honey powder on top of the yogurt.
- Tea and coffee: Honey powder makes a delicious addition to tea and coffee; dust it on top or stir it in and enjoy!
How to Choose the Best Honey to Dehydrate
When deciding what honey to choose to dehydrate, it’s important to consider quality, viscosity, moisture content, flavor, and heat sensitivity. When searching for pure honey, choose a reliable beekeeper in your area. Raw honey from a local beekeeper yields the best results because it contains no additives.
The most popular types of honey to use for dehydrating include:
- Clover honey: This is one of the most popular and generally accessible types of honey. It is pale in color and mildly sweet-tasting.
- Dandelion honey: This type of honey is derived from the nectar of dandelion flowers. It has a mild and sweet flavor, making it suitable for making honey powder for baking.
- Lavender honey: This is honey infused with lavender flavor to provide a gentle, floral scent. It can be used in pastries, tea, or as a powder sifted over fruits and cheeses.
- Manuka honey: Made in New Zealand from the nectar of the manuka shrub, manuka honey is a special type of honey. It is renowned for its medicinal powers, dark color, and rich flavor. It also has some antibacterial properties.
- Wildflower honey: Wildflower honey is created from the nectar of wildflowers. It tastes rich and has floral undertones.
What are the Benefits of Dehydrating Honey?
- Antioxidant benefits: Since honey is an antioxidant, it can aid in preventing cell deterioration.
- Long-lasting: Compared to liquid honey, dehydrated honey has a much longer shelf life. Removing the moisture reduces the likelihood of deterioration by preventing bacterial growth.
- Moisturizer: Honey can be used to moisturize both your skin and your hair. It keeps your skin and hair healthy and nourished.
- Portability and convenience: Dehydrated honey products are more portable and convenient than liquid honey. Crystallized honey eliminates the possibility of spillage or mess, which would be the case when transporting liquid honey containers.
- Versatility in recipes: Dehydrating honey produces honey powder, which has a variety of culinary uses. Honey powder is practical for dry mixtures because it doesn’t change the moisture levels of other ingredients.
How Long Does It Take to Dehydrate Honey?
The dehydrating time of honey depends on the dehydrator’s temperature and the thickness of the layer of honey. Allow the honey to dry for up to 24 hours. However, monitor the drying process and remove it from the dehydrator once it’s brittle.
Are Dehydrated Honey and Honey Powder the Same Thing?
Dehydrated honey and honey powder are made from the same product but have a different texture. Dehydrated honey is made by removing the moisture from liquid honey to lower its water content. Dehydrated honey can have a variety of textures, from being hard and crystalline to having a slightly tacky or sticky consistency.
Honey powder is a kind of dried honey that has undergone additional processing to become a fine powder. Dehydrated honey is blended until it achieves a fine, powdered texture to make honey powder. The viscosity of honey powder is dry and free-flowing, like other powdered sweeteners or spices.
How to Store Dehydrated Honey
As with other dehydrated foods, store your dehydrated honey crystals in an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dry place to prevent exposure to moisture. Label the containers so that you know how long the honey has been preserved.
What is the Shelf Life of Dehydrated Honey?
In its natural form, pure honey has a long shelf life. However, the way you store the dehydrated honey determines how long it will last. Dehydrated honey retains its best quality for up to a year if kept in airtight containers in a cool and dry location. To extend the shelf life further, store the dried honey jars in a freezer for up to 2 years.