Honey Spice Bread

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup 2% milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup canola oil
 
Glaze:
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons 2% milk
 
Heat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan. 

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. In another bowl, whisk eggs, honey, oil and brown sugar mixture until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

Transfer the batter to pan. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (cover top loosely with foil if needed to prevent overbrowning).

Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. In a small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over bread.

From Taste of Home blog

Halloumi and Grape Skewers

300 grams of halloumi cheese, cut into rough 1-inch squares
18-20 red grapes
Olive oil
Black pepper
75 grams honey
25 grams salted butter
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

Heat oven to 425 F.  Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes.  Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  

Skewer the halloumi and grapes onto the soaked wooden skewers until all the ingredients have been used up.  Toss in a little olive oil and season with black pepper.

Place onto the prepared baking tray and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden.

Whilst the halloumi is baking, place the honey and butter into a small saucepan and heat, stirring, until the butter has dissolved.  Remove from the heat and stir in the oregano leaves.

When the halloumi skewers are done baking, place on  serving dish and drizzle with the oregano honey.

Serves 6.

From Tastemade UK 

Nonnettes (French Gingerbread Cakes)

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (80 grams) rye flour
1 tablespoon homemade pain d'epices spice blend
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Cointreau or orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh orange zest
1 large egg yolk
Blackcurrant jam (or orange marmalade, blueberry or blackberry jam)

Lemon glaze:
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Heat oven to 375 F.

In a small saucepan, stir together honey, brown sugar, water, butter, and oil.  Heat over medium heat, stirring, just until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat and let sit a couple of minutes while preparing the dry ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flours, pain d'epices spice blend, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir to combine.

Pour the honey mixture into the flour and stir to combine.  Add the Cointreau, vanilla extract, orange zest, and egg yolk, and stir until combined.

Butter the wells of a mini muffin pan or mini cheesecake pan.  Fill each well with batter 1/2 to 1/3 full.  Place a teaspoon of jam on each.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and the dough springs back when gently pressed.

While the nonnettes are baking, prepare the glaze by combining the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the glaze is smooth.

While the nonnettes are still warm and in the pan, spoon the glaze over them, letting it drip down the sides.  Let them cool in the pan; this will allow the glaze to penetrate the cakes.  Once cool, remove the nonnettes from the pan.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Makes 24+.

From The Daring Gourmet blog

Ukrainian Honey Cake

2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled to lukewarm

Set rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F.  Butter a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, then dust it with flour.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and smooth.  Add the honey and melted butter and mix until blended and smooth.

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.  Add half the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir in.  Stir in the coffee, then stir in the remaining dry ingredients.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold them into the batter, then stir gently several times.  The batter will be quite wet.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on a rack to cool completely before slicing.  Eat plain or buttered, or with whipped cream.

Makes 1 loaf.

From The Wednesday Chef blog

Sticky Ginger and Honey Cake

170 grams golden syrup
50 grams honey
170 grams sour cream
110 grams brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
280 grams butter
130 grams plain flour
130 grams self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

Heat the oven to 350° F.  Grease an 8-inch springform pan, and wrap the outside of the pan in aluminum foil to prevent leaks.

Whisk together the golden syrup, honey, sour cream, brown sugar, eggs, and lemon zest.

Melt the butter and whisk it into the mixture.  Sift together the flours, baking powder, salt, and ginger powder.  Fold flour mixture into the warm batter, whisking gently if necessary to break down any lumps of flour.  The batter will be fairly runny.

Pour batter into the prepared springform pan.  Bake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  

From Arabesque by Greg and Lucy Malouf, with minor changes

Honey Cardamom Soda

16 green cardamom pods
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Spread the cardamom pods in a single layer on a solid work surface.  Pound the pods with a hammer, meat pounder, or small heavy skillet until the pods are crushed and the cardamom seeds inside are bruised.

Combine the crushed cardamom pods, honey, water,and lemon juice in a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the liquid reduces to one-third of its original volume.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.  Strain out the solids, reserving the liquid.

To serve, add seltzer to syrup to taste.

The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.


Serves 3.

From Homemade Soda by Andrew Schloss

Honey-Cornmeal Ice Cream Cones

1 large egg
1 egg white
7 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal

Heat the oven to 350°F.
 
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the egg and egg white, sugar, and vanilla.  Stir in the salt and half of the flour.  Mix together the melted butter and the honey, then add to the flour mixture.  Beat in the rest of the flour and the cornmeal until smooth.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a small offset spatula to spread 2 tablespoons of batter into a circle 6 inches across.  Try to get the circles as even and smooth as possible.  Two are likely to fit on one standard baking sheet.

Put the baking sheet in the oven and begin checking after about 10 minutes.  Depending on your oven, they'll take between 10 and 15 minutes to bake.  The circles should be a deep golden brown throughout (some lighter and darker spots are inevitable, though).  Remove the baking sheet from the oven.  Use a thin metal spatula to loosen the edge of one disc.  Slide the spatula under the disk, quickly flip it over, and immediately roll it around a wooden cone, pressing the seam firmly on the counter to close the cone and pinching the point at the bottom securely closed.  Let the cone cool slightly on the mold until it feels firm, then slide it off and stand it upright in a rack or tall glass to cool.  Roll the other cone the same way - if it is too firm, return the baking sheet to the oven for a minute or so until it is pliable again.

Repeat, using the remaining batter.  It will be easier to spread the batter if you slide the reusable parchment paper off the baking sheet; any heat from the baking sheet will make the batter difficult to spread.


Makes 4 to 6 cones.

From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Note: These can also be made in an electric waffle-cone maker.

Whole Wheat Honey Cake

1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey

Position rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 350°F.  Butter a 9-inch fluted ring pan, dust the pan with all-purpose flour, invert, and tap to remove excess.

To make the cake: Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.  Stir in the whole wheat flour, mixing thoroughly with a wire whisk.  Set aside.

Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; soften on low speed.  Increase the speed to medium-high and cream until smooth and light in color, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.  

Gradually add the honey, taking about 1 minute to blend it in well.  Continue beating for about 2 minutes longer, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.  

Add the eggs, 1 at a time at 1-minute intervals, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Reduce mixer speed to low.  Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, dividing the flour mixture into three parts and the liquid into two parts, beginning and ending with the flour.  Mix just until incorporated after each addition.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 10 seconds later.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.  Center the pan on the rack and bake in the heated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch and begins to come away from the sides of the pan.  A toothpick inserted into the center should come out dry.

Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a cake rack to cool for 20 minutes.

To make the glaze: Blend the honey into the softened butter until smooth.  After 20 minutes, invert the cake onto the rack and carefully remove the pan.  Immediately brush the hot cake with the glaze, using a soft brush, and continue to cool to room temperature.  When the cake is completely cool, transfer to a cake platter.

Store the cake at room temperature under a glass cake dome or in an airtight container for up to 7 days.


From Great Cakes by Carole Walter with some changes

Cornmeal Honey Bread

(FOR 1 1/2 POUND LOAF)
1 1/8 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons honey

2 2/3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup dry buttermilk powder or milk powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon gluten
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast

(FOR 2 POUND LOAF)
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup honey

3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder or milk powder
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast

Place all ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order listed.  Set crust to Dark and program for Basic cycle; press Start.  This recipe MAY be made using the Delay Timer.

When baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before serving.  


From The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger

Honey White Bread

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 7/8 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon gluten
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast

Place all ingredients in the pan of a bread machine.  Set crust on medium and program for Basic cycle; press Start.  This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer.

When baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack.  Let cool to room temperature before slicing.


From The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger

Honey Zabaglione

6 egg yolks
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped to firm peaks

In a large, stainless steel bowl, or the top pan of a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks with the honey until blended.  Set the bowl over - not touching - simmering water and whisk vigorously until the mixture lightens in color and thickens and the whisk leaves a trail, about 3 minutes.  Add the wine and continue whisking constantly until the mixture is pale, thick, and greatly expanded in volume, about 10 minutes.  The mixture will curdle if it gets too hot, so whisk it off the heat for a few seconds if you fear the eggs are cooking too fast.

When the zabaglione is light, fluffy, and capable of holding a soft peak, transfer the bowl to a larger bowl filled with ice water to cool the zabaglione quickly.  When cool, fold in the whipped cream.  Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.  Serve as a dollop atop fruit salad.

Serves 6.


From Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello

Baklava

14 ounces whole almonds (or, for nut-free version, see note below)

2 ounces light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 package filo pastry

8 ounces unsalted butter, melted

3 1/2 ounces sugar

8 ounces honey

1 1/2 tablespoons orange flower water (optional)

Lightly toast the almonds, then chop them finely and mix them with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.

Cut the filo pastry to fit a 9x12-inch baking dish, saving any cut-off pieces to make up the layers in the middle of the procedure.  Brush the dish with butter, lay a sheet of pastry in it, brush that with butter, cover it with another sheet, and brush that with butter.  Scatter on a layer of the almonds, then put two more layers of pastry as before.  Continue in this way until the almonds and the pastry are all used up.  Make sure the almonds are scattered evenly to the edge so that the dish is building up evenly.  Brush the top pastry sheet with butter and chill the dish for 30 minutes.  Heat the oven to 375°F.

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into 16 rectangles, four by four, then cut each one in half diagonally to get 32 triangles.  Make sure you cut right to the base of the dish.  Bake the baklava for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325°F for an hour.  The baklava should be lightly browned on top and crisp all the way through.

Heat the sugar, honey, and orange flower water together in a small pot until bubbling.  Leave it for one minute, then pour it over the hot baklava.  Leave the baklava in the dish to cool completely before removing the pieces.  It will keep for a week or more in a sealed container.

From Café Paradiso Seasons by Denis Cotter

Note:  For nut-free version, use about 3.5 ounces sunflower seeds, 3.5 ounces sesame seeds, and 7 ounces pepitas.  Roast them all together in a dry pan until lightly browned, then grind to a coarse powder in a food processor.  Use in place of almonds.