Crystallized honey is incredible. You should accidentally forget a jar of honey at the back of your cupboard if you want proof. It's delightful stuff. Trust me. Spread it on toast, spoon it on cheesecake, or anything your heart desires. I've been known to spread it directly on pieces of cheese. I also eat it by the spoonful....
The fun thing about crystallized honey is that you can heat it (in the microwave or a saucepan) and the gritty honey will take on its fluid form. Of course, this is only temporary. As it cools, the honey slowly returns to its thickened, texturized form. Remember sugar tends to crystallize, as does honey, because it's such a high concentration of sugar molecules.
Infusing honey with lavender buds
This week, I took a sample of my crystallized honey and infused it with lavender. The lavender enhances the floral perfume and flavor of honey. I infused 2 cups of honey with just a few tablespoons of dried lavender (remember to use food-grade lavender!). The infusing process is easy:
- simply heat the honey in the microwave for just a couple minutes so that it is nice and fluid (about 115°F)
- stir in the lavender
- let the mixture sit, stirring it occasionally.
- When the honey has cooled, simply spoon out the lavender, which at that point has floated up to the surface of the honey.
If your honey recrystallizes, this is the easiest way to get the lavender out, though you may lose some of the honey. Alternatively, you could strain it (after reheating the honey just slightly, so that it is fluid enough to filter through a sieve). If you want an "in your face" kind of lavender flavour, you could infuse the honey a second time with an extra dose of lavender. Up to you!
I used my freshly prepared lavender honey to make adorable lavender honey cakelettes (but obviously you can use your favorite honey straight out of the jar). My recipe is a 1-2-3-4 cake, meaning the ratio of ingredients is 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 4 eggs. Now obviously, this is half of that, but the ratio remains the same.
Lavender honey cakelettes
Ingredients
Cakelette batter
- 190 grams (1½ cups) bleached all-purpose flour
- 5 mL (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 5 mL (1 teaspoon) Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 114 grams (½ cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 125 mL (½ cup) lavender honey melted if it’s crystallized
- 2 large egg(s) room temperature
- 125 mL (½ cup) whole milk (3.25 % fat)
Honey glaze
- 30 grams (2 tablespoon) icing sugar
- 30 mL (2 tablespoon) skim milk (fat free) or more to reach desired consistency
- 15 mL (1 tablespoon) lavender honey melted if it’s crystallized
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the cakelette pan by generously greasing and flouring it. Set it aside for later.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and honey until it is light and fluffy. You can also use an electric hand mixer for this recipe!
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add one-third the flour, then half the milk, another third of flour, then the rest of the milk, and the rest of the flour, mixing between each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix the batter until all the ingredients are combined.
- Drop the batter into the cakelette pan, filling them two-thirds full.
- Bake for about 15–17 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean (start checking as of 12 minutes). You might want to rotate your pan after 10 minutes to ensure the cakes brown evenly.
- While the cakelettes are baking, prepare the glaze by whisking together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside for later.
- Remove the cakelette pan from the oven and set it to cool for just 2 minutes on a wire rack. Then, loosen the cakelettes. To unmold them, invert the pan over another wire rack that is set over parchment.
- When the cakes are still hot, brush them with the glaze. One batch of glaze is just enough to glaze all 32 cakelettes.
- Let the cakelettes cool completely before serving.
Lisa {Authentic Suburban Gourmet } says
These look absolutely wonderful. Love the combination of honey and lavendar. Perfect!
With Style and Grace says
Seriously?!? Damn girl, this looks AH-MAZING!! so so proud of you!
All That's Left Are The Crumbs says
I just love the name cakelettes. I have been meaning for quite some time time to try baking with lavender. I am definitely going to add this one to the list and hopefully find that lavender very soon.
knitstamatic says
Beautiful little cakes! I too like crystalized honey. It's like candy. Love the idea of infusing honey with lavendar, must give it a try. Thinks with a history, especially one we are close to, are special to me so to see you using your grandmother's pan with all it's charm is wonderful.
[email protected] says
These are gorgeous and I love the little cake tin. I'm also a big fan of lavender honey so thank you very much for the recipe!
RavieNomNoms says
Those are sooooooo gorgeous!! I love the little cakelettes. I would enjoy one right now with my morning tea please...
Torviewtoronto says
looks delicious wonderful cake
Erin says
This are so cute! I have never used lavendar before. Sounds so delicate and delicious!
Tiffany says
Stunning!
Jeannie says
This looks delicious! I have a mould from my mother that I can use for this! Bookmarking this recipe...thanks for sharing:D
Juanita says
I like your list of confessions. Instead of "Hail Mary's", hand out some teaspoons of crystallized honey to yourself 🙂
Your cakelettes are charming!
Hanna says
Beautiful little cakelettes! Crystalized honey is amazing, I'm a straight from the jar with a spoon kind of person too!
Joy says
The cakes look wonderful. I love this recipe.
Spice Sherpa says
The name alone drew me in--lavender honey cakelettes. I just like saying it! Lovely recipe and I adore the use of lavender as a key flavor. Bookmarking this one! I've run across a few great lavender recipe posts. I ought to make a lavender recipe link compendium as a post--this one will definitely be included.
Jan says
@Spice Sherpa I'd love to see (and be included in) a lavender round-up! It's such a fun flavor! Thanks!
Eftychia says
What a delicious dessert! Thanks for sharing!
Lindsey @ Hot Polka Dot says
Yum yum yum! I love it! Thanks for your kind words about my blog and your photos look lovely. 🙂