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Favourite Recipes

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Reigate BeekeepersFavourite Honey Recipes

Whether or not you are a firm believer that‘honey is good for you’ (see the box below),you will appreciate that it is a natural food, withno additives or ‘E numbers’. In the case of localbeekeepers’ honey it will have had the veryminimum of processing. It will only have beenstrained to make sure it contains no hive debris.All the natural fragrances of the nectar sourceand some of the pollen will be there, to helpproduce the special flavour.

Whether it is runny or crystallised is entirely upto the bee and the blossoms on which it hasbeen foraging. All honey will set eventually,some so quickly that within a couple of hoursof leaving the hive it is almost solid. Specialtechniques have been developed to keep it athive temperature until it is out of the comb,strained and into the jar. These fast settinghoneys have the advantage of fine, smoothcrystals when they set but very often theflavour is poor, whereas the slow setting oneshave a good flavour but a coarse gritty texture.Ideally, a mixture of the two types produces afine smooth texture which tastes delicious anddoes not set like a rock.

In the large area of south east Surrey coveredby Reigate Beekeepers members, we have avery mixed range of flora. Even when Oil SeedRape is in the countryside there will be manyother plants producing nectar in our parks andgardens giving the local honey a most attractiveflavour.

To enjoy honey at its best there is no betterway than taking it straight from the comb andputting it on your bread and butter. Thisensures that you lose none of the flavour andgoodness. However, for those of you who wishto enjoy the effect of including honey in yourcooking, we hope our favourite recipes willinterest you, some are very simple, others area bit more ambitious. But in these days ofconvenience food that always tastes the same,isn’t it nice to try something a little bit different.

Butter in our RecipesOur recipes use butter. Margarine can besubstituted if you prefer, but then the magicthat happens when honey and butter arecooked together will be lost !!!

About Our Local Honey

The following pages contain recipes that have been collected over the years by ReigateBeekeepers and are used by our members to make some of their favourite delicious dishesthat bring out the magic tastes and flavours of honey. New recipes are published each monthin our members’ magazine called .

Please click here to go to the next page and see an index of these recipes

The health benefits of honey have long been appreciated to treat a variety ofailments. The use of honey in medicine has traditionally been categorised as ‘alternate

medicine’. However, its therapeutic uses are now well researched and understood.

Honey contains powerful antioxidants with antiseptic and antibacterial properties.Honey has been used medicinally for at least 2000 years, but it is only recently that itsantibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties have been fully documented.

Favourite Recipes

All photos Reigate BeeNews copyright - unless otherwise stated

Index of Recipes

Recipe (1) Honey Fruit Cake

Recipe (2) Beef Casserole with Honey

Recipe (3) Honey Swiss Roll

Recipe (4) Honey Cake

Recipe (5) Anzac Biscuits

Recipe (6) A Hot Toddy

Recipe (7) Dorset Honey and Apple Cake with Greek Yoghurt Delight

Recipe (8) Meat and Potato Roll

Recipe (9) Flap Jacks

Recipe (10) Pork in Cider

Recipe (11) Honey Glazed Vegetables

Recipe (12) Sri Lankan Love Cake

Recipe (13) Chinese Pork in Cider

Recipe (14) Honey and Fig Christmas Cake

Recipe (15) Honey and Cinnamon Christmas Trees

Recipe (16) Lamb Cutlets with Honey

Recipe (17) Hot Mulled Wine

Recipe (18) Sticky Honey Sponge

Recipe (19) Tarts Portingale

Recipe (20) Nutty Cobbler

Recipe (21) ‘No Need to Bake’ Chocolate Cake

Recipe (22) Microwaved Honey Cake

Recipe (23) Honey Bubbles

Recipe (24) Chocolate Fudge

Please scroll down and click the name of the recipe below which will take you to thepage that has the ingredients and the instructions about how to make these delicious dishes.

Favourite Recipes


Recipe (1) Honey Fruit Cake

8 ounces Honey 8 ounces Self Raising Flour 4 ounces Butter 4 ounces Currants 4 ounces Sultanas 2 ounces Mixed Peel 2 Eggs 3 tablespoons Milk A pinch of Nutmeg

A pinch of Salt

Grease and line a 7" round tin. Set ovento 180°C or Gas Mark 4. Sift together theflour, salt and nutmeg. Mix the dried fruitsand mixed peel together with atablespoonful of the flour. Cream togetherthe honey and butter until light and fluffy.Gradually beat in the eggs alternately withthe flour. Stir in the dried fruit and milkand mix well. Transfer the mixture to thebaking tin and bake for about 1.5 hoursuntil deep golden colour. A wooden cocktailstick inserted into the centre should comeout clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutesbefore removing from the tin.

2 tablespoons Honey2 lbs Stewing Beef1 large Onion2 tablespoons Lemon Juice3 teaspoons MustardPowder1 medium Green Pepper3 sticks of Celery6 ounces Tomato Ketchup0.5 lb Carrots0.75 pint of Water

Heat a little oil in an ovenproof pan orcasserole.Cut the beef into cubes and brown in thehot oil.Slice the vegetables and add to the beef;mix together the remaining ingredientsand pour over the beef and vegetables.Cover and cook gently for 1.5 hours oruntil the meat is tender.May be served with rice or mashedpotatoes.

Recipe (2) Beef Casserole with Honey

If you like to use unrefinedingredients in your cookingtry this one.

3 tablespoons Clear Honey3 Free Range Eggs3 ounces Wholemeal Flour3 tablespoons Sugar FreeJam

Grease and line a Swiss Roll tin.Set the oven to 220°C or Gas Mark 7.Put the eggs and honey in a large bowlover a pan of hot water and beat until themixture thickens. Fold in the sifted flourwith a metal spoon. When well combined,transfer to the baking tin and bake for 8to 10 minutes. The sponge is ready whenit has shrunk away from the sides of thetin and feels spongy to the touch. Invertthe sponge on to a sheet of grease proofpaper, remove baking paper and trim theedges of the sponge. Quickly spread withjam and roll up.Eat the same day.

Recipe (3) Honey Swiss Roll

Favourite Recipes


150 g English Honey 115 g butter55 g dark soft brown sugar6 eggs separated with yolkslightly beaten125 g self-raising flourPinch of salt1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon mixed spice100 g chopped walnuts100 g ground almonds

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 3 or 160°C.Beat butter ad sugar together until pale andcreamy.Gradually beat in the egg yolks, then add thehoney.Sift in the flour, salt and spices and fold intothe mixture with the almonds and walnuts.Whisk the egg whites until stiff and foldgently into the mixture.Pour mixture into lined 20 cm round cake tin.Bake for one hour.

Recipe (4) Honey Cake - Celia’s Classic

1 tablespoon Honey4 oz Butter or Margarine, orOil or mixture of any1 level teaspoon Bicarbonateof Soda2 tablespoon Water3 oz Plain Flour4 oz Soft Brown Sugar3 oz Dessicated Coconut(unsweetened)

4 oz Rolled Oats. Pinch of saltOptional:

2 teaspoons Cocoa, or 1 oz Sultanas or Raisins, or 1 teaspoon Cinnamon or 1 oz Walnuts.

Melt the butter and honey. Add bicarbonateof soda dissolved in water. (Not very soluble,just swirl it around). Mix all dry ingredientsin bowl, add wet ingredients. Put pieces thesize of a walnut on a baking sheet lined withbaking parchment. (They will stick to thesheet without the parchment, even if yougrease it!!) Flatten each piece slightly, leaveroom to spread.Bake at:170°C conventional oven.155°C fan ovenGas Mk 3-4 for 15 minutes.They will still be soft when you take themout. Let them cool for 5 minutes and theywill firm up. Cool on cake rack.

Recipe (5) Anzac Biscuits - Coral’s Favourite

2 tablespoons Honey1 fluid ounce Whisky (or totaste!)2 to 3 tablespoons of LemonJuice1 tablespoon Ginger WineBoiling Water(Serves one)

Recipe (6) Toddy with a Kick!

Put the honey, lemon juice and ginger wineinto a heatproof glass and three-quarter fillwith boiling water.Stir to dissolve the honey, add the whiskyand drink whilst hot.Having warmed yourself - make some moretoddies and share with friends.

Favourite Recipes


For the Cake: 4 tablespoons Honey450 g sliced cooking apples225 g butter350 g self-raising flour280 g golden castor sugar4 eggsJuice of half a lemon2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Yoghurt:3 teapoons Honey250 g natural Greek yoghurt4 fresh thinly sliced figs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas Mk4. Butter and line rectangular baking tinwith paper. Squeeze lemon juice oversliced apples. Mix butter, caster sugar,eggs, vanilla and flour well, untilsmooth. Layer ½ mixture in tin, followedby ½ sliced apples, rest of mixture andapples, drip honey over the top. Bakefor 45-50 minutes until golden andspringy to touch. Leave to cool beforeturning out.

Mix yoghurt with cinnamon.Cook slices of figs covered in the Honeyin a low oven for about one hour bastingevery ¼ hour. Leave to cool. Place figsand juice over yoghurt and put in fridgefor a few hours or overnight to infuse.

Recipe (7) Dorset Honey and Apple Cake with Greek Yoghurt Delight

For the sauce: 2 tablespoons Honey 1 level teaspoon mustard 1 tablespoon tomato saucesalt and pepper to taste

For the dish:1 lb minced meat1 large chopped onion2 oz plain flour1½ lb potatoes6 oz breadcrumbs1 egg

1 tablespoon tomato sauce 1 oz butter mixed herbs

Gently cook the minced meat andchopped onion in a pan over mediumheat until lightly browned. Stir in tomatosauce, and flavour well with salt pepperand herbs. Leave this mixture to cool.When cool add breadcrumbs, egg andflour and mix thoroughly. Place a pieceof greaseproof paper on a workingsurface and carefully roll out the mixtureinto a rectangle.

Boil and cream the potatoes with 1 ozbutter. Spread the creamed potatoevenly over meat mixture and roll it uplike a Swiss roll using the paper or foil tohelp. Place on a baking sheet with thejoint underneath, and cook at 375°F for25 minutes.

Mix together all the ingredients for thesauce, brush over the roll and return tothe oven for 15 minutes, and then serve.

Recipe (8) Meat and Potato Roll

Favourite Recipes


3 tablespoons Honey4 ounces Demerara Sugar4 ounces Butter6 ounces Porridge Oats2 ounces Desiccated Coconut1 Egg1 teaspoon Baking Powder0.5 teaspoon Salt

Put the sugar butter and honey in aheavy based saucepan and heat gentlyuntil melted. Remove from the heat andstir in the remaining ingredients. Pressinto a shallow greased 8 inch squarebaking tin and bake in a moderate oven180°C or Gas Mark 4 until golden and firmto the touch.Remove from the oven and leave for 5minutes, then mark into squares and leaveto cool. When completely cold loosen witha palette knife and lift each squarecarefully from the tin.

Recipe (9) Flap Jacks

4 tablespoons Honey2 ounces of Butter2 lb Pork fillet cut into cubes.4 Shallots (chopped)0.25 teaspoon groundCardamom Salt and Pepper0.5 pint Dry CiderA strip of Lemon PeelA strip of Orange Peel

Melt the butter in a casserole and brownthe meat on all sides.Add the shallots, honey, orange and lemonpeel and season with the cardamom, saltand pepper. Pour over the cider and bringto the boil.Cover the casserole tightly and transfer toa preheated oven, 180°C or Gas Mark 4and cook for 0.5 to 1 hour.Lift out the meat and reduce the cookingliquid to serve as a sauce.

Recipe (10) Pork in Cider

Recipe (11) Honey Glazed Vegetables

2 dessertspoons Honey2 ounces Butter

Many of us like to pop a knob of butter onto our cooked vegetables before serving;but have you tried a spoonful of honey aswell? The result on new peas is wonderful.

Root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots,parsnips and onions can be boiled in theusual way, and then coated with a mixtureof honey and butter, before baking in amoderate oven at 180°C or Gas Mark 4until they are nicely browned and glazed.

Favourite Recipes


2 tablespoons Honey1 lb (500g) caster sugar8 oz (250g) semolina12 oz (375g) cashew nuts7 eggs separated½ teaspoon ground nutmeg½ teaspoon lemon rind½ teaspoon ground cardamom½ teaspoon almond essence

2 tablespoon rose water

Finely chop the cashew nuts, andfinely grate the lemon rind.

Grease and line an 8 inch (20 cm)square cake tin with two thicknessesof greaseproof paper. Brush the innerpaper with melted butter. Beat theegg yolks and caster sugar togetheruntil light and creamy. Stir in thesemolina, cashew nuts, rose water,honey, lemon rind, spices and almondessence. Beat the egg whites untilfirm and fold into the mixture. Put intin and bake in a 150°C or Gas Mark2 oven until the cake is evenly brownand is firm to touch. If the cake startsto brown too quickly, cover withpaper or foil. Do not use the usualskewer test as the cake should besomewhat moist.

Leave until quite cold and then cutinto small pieces.

Recipe (12) Sri Lankan Love Cake

2 tablespoons Honey1 lb ham in one piece2 tablespoons sugar2 tablespoons dry sherry or rice wine2 teaspoons cherry brandy2 teaspoons cornflour8 fluid ounces water

Soak the ham for 12 hours in pan ofcold water. Drain well and then steamfor 2 hours in steamer or a sieve overa pan of boiling water. Remove andcool. When cold cut into ¼ inch thickslices and arrange on a dish.

To make the sauce, combine all theingredients in a pan, bring slowly tothe boil stirring all the time. When thesugar has dissolved and the saucethickened pour over the ham.

Serve very hot.

Recipe (13) Chinese Pork in Cider

Favourite Recipes


2 tablespoons Honey200 g dried figs750 g mixed dried fruits100 g blanched whole almonds100 g chopped peel100 g glacé cherries300 g plain flour1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon grated nutmegzest 1 lemon250 g lightly salted butter250 g light muscovado sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 tablespoon black treacle4 large eggs½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda1 tablespoon milk3 tablespoons brandy

Recipe (14) Honey and Fig Christmas Cake

Heat oven to 140°C / Gas Mark 1. Line a 20cm cake tin with a double layer of brownpaper, and then a double layer of bakingparchment. Mix the fruit, almonds, peel, figsand cherries. Turn well, add flour, spices andlemon zest. In a separate bowl, cream thebutter and sugar thoroughly, add the vanillaextract, honey and treacle. Still beating,incorporate the eggs, stir in the fruit and flourmixture. Dissolve bicarbonate of soda in themilk and stir in thoroughly. Add the brandy,until you have a soft dropping consistency.Turn the batter into cake tin and make a dipin the middle using the back of a spoon. Bakefor 3½ hours, insert a skewer - if it comes outclean, it is ready. If there is any cake mix onthe skewer, cook for 10 minutes more and testagain. When it is done, remove the cake fromthe oven and leave to cool in its tin. The nextday, remove from the tin, wrap in freshgreaseproof paper, put it into an airtight tinor wrap tightly in foil.Store the cake for about three weeks beforeicing, and unwrap and sprinkle occasionallywith more brandy.

Honey and Fig Cake photo and recipe source bbcgoodfood.com

Favourite Recipes


Biscuit Dough80 ml (1/3 cup) Honey200 g butter80 g icing sugar mixture300 g plain flour, sifted40 g self-raising flour, sifted1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon2 tablespoons milk

Glace Icing2 egg whites, lightly whisked500 g icing sugar1 tablespoon lemon juice1/2 cup desiccated coconut

Recipe (15) Honey and Cinnamon Christmas Trees

Line two baking trays with baking paper.Using an electric mixer, beat butter and icingsugar mixture in a bowl until pale andcreamy. Add honey, beat until well combined.Add butter to flour, cinnamon and milk in abowl, and mix until dough begins to form.Turn onto a well floured surface. Knead gentlyuntil smooth. Divide dough in half and wrapeach portion in plastic wrap. Place in thefridge for 15 minutes.Preheat oven to 160°C. Using a well flouredrolling pin, roll one portion of dough out on awell floured surface until 5 mm thick.

Biscuit Dough80 ml (1/3 cup) Honey200 g butter80 g icing sugar mixture300 g plain flour, sifted40 g self-raising flour, sifted1/4 teaspoon groundcinnamon2 tablespoons milk

Glace Icing2 egg whites, lightly whisked500 g icing sugar

Using a Christmas tree cutter, cut outbiscuits. Place on prepared trays. Bake for 10to 12 minutes or until crisp and golden. Coolon tray for 5 minutes before transferring to awire rack to cool completely. Repeat withremaining dough.Make glace icing: Using a wooden spoon,lightly beat eggwhites. Sift icing sugar overeggwhite. Stir until smooth. Add lemon juiceand stir until well combined.Spread biscuits with icing, leaving a 2 mmborder. Sprinkle with coconut. Set aside forone hour to set. Serve or gift wrap.

1 dessertspoon Honey4 Lamb Cutlets4 fluid ounces Stock1 dessertspoon FlourA little Cooking OilJuice of half a Lemon

Recipe (16) Lamb Cutlets with Honey

Brush the cutlets with the oil and placeunder a hot grill to brown on both sides.Reduce the heat and grill until the outletsare cooked. Set aside and keep warm.Using a dessertspoon of fat from the grillpan, stir in the flour and cook over a lowheat until brown.Then blend in the lemon juice honey andstock. Cook over brisk heat for about 3minutes stirring all the time.Pour the sauce over the outlets and serve.

Honey and Cinnamon Christmas Trees photo and recipe source taste.com.au

Favourite Recipes


3 tablespoons Honey1 litre of Red Wine1 Orange1 Red Skinned Apple, cored,quartered then sliced2 tablespoons Brandy10 Cloves0.5 teaspoon Cinnamon

Recipe (17) Honey Mulled Wine

Stud the orange with cloves and cut intoslices. Put into a large, heavy based pan andadd all the ingredients except the apple andbrandy.

Heat gently until hot but not boiling.

Stir in the apple and brandy.

Serve in heatproof glasses whilst hot.

8 ounces Honey6 ounces plain flour3 ounces butter or margarine1 powdered clove½ teaspoon powderedcinnamon8 ounces crushed digestivebiscuits½ teaspoon powdered ginger1½ teaspoon aniseed

Recipe (19) Tarts of Portingale ( based on an old sixteenth century recipe)

Make shortcrust pastry with flour and butterand use to line 9” flan tin.Heat honey in a saucepan, add biscuits andspices and mix well.Put mixture into flan case and bake in amoderate oven.

(These make a nice change from treacle tarts)

6 ounces Honey5 ounces Butter4 ounces Soft Brown Sugar2 Eggs7 ounces Self Raising Flour

Recipe (18) Sticky Honey Sponge

Grease and line an 11” x 7” shallow cake tin.Set oven to 180°C or Gas Mark 4.Put the butter, sugar, honey and l tablespoonof water into a saucepan and heat gently untilmelted and smooth.Cool slightly then beat in the eggs. Sift in theflour and beat to form a smooth batter.Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for30 to 35 minutes until golden and springy tothe touch.Brush the top with warm honey just as itcomes from the oven.

Favourite Recipes


2 tablespoons Honey1½ lbs rhubarb1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon water1 ounce chopped walnuts6 ounces plain flourpinch of salt2 teaspoons baking powder3 ounces butter½ egg½ teaspoon cinnamon

Recipe (20) Nutty Cobbler

Prepare rhubarb. Place in a fireproof dishwith water and sugar and cook in theoven until tender.Make cobbler pastry using only 2 ouncesbutter, and mix with egg and honey. Rollpastry into an oblong, spread with theextra 1 ounce of butter and sprinkle withcinnamon. Roll up as for a Swiss Roll, cutinto rounds and place on top of rhubarb.Bake in hot oven for a further 15 mins.Just before serving, brush cobblertopping with extra honey and sprinklewith walnuts.

Serve with hot custard or cream.

4 ounces Honey2 ounces Dark brown sugar3 ounces Butter6 ounces Wholemeal SelfRaising Flour4 fluid ounces Milk1 Egg1 teaspoon ground Cardamom0.5 teaspoon Mixed Spice0.5 teaspoon Bicarb of Soda

Using the microwave you’llhave a home baked cake in

next to no time.

Recipe (22) Micro-waved Honey Cake

Grease and line a 2 lb microwave loaf dish.Put honey, sugar and butter into a suitablebowl and cook on ‘High’ for 2 to 2.5 minutesuntil the mixture is bubbling.Sift together the flour, spices and soda.Stir into the melted honey mixture with theegg and milk.Transfer to the prepared dish and cook onhigh for about 8 minutes.Note - The mixture should be springy totouch but slightly sticky.Set aside for 5 minutes by which time acocktail stick inserted into the centre shouldcome out clean.

2 tablespoons Honey8 ounces Digestive Biscuits (crumbed)2 ounces Butter4 ounces Plain Chocolate2 ounces Marshmallows (quartered)1 ounce Chopped Nuts

Recipe (21) ‘No Need to Bake’ Chocolate Cake

Melt butter, chocolate and honey togetherover a low heat.Stir in the biscuit crumbs and nuts andfinally, the marshmallows.Press into a lightly greased 7 inch tin andrefrigerate until completely set.

Turn out and cut into about 12 pieces.

Favourite Recipes


2 ounces Honey1 lb Granulated Sugar4 ounces Plain Chocolate5 ounces Butter0.5 pint Milk

Recipe (24) Chocolate Fudge

Grease a 6” by 8” tinPlace all the ingredients into a heavy basedsaucepan.Stir over a low heat until the sugar hasdissolved.Bring to the boil and continue boiling untilthe temperature is 116°C (240°F).‘Soft Ball’ stage, when a drop of the mixtureplaced in ice cold water forms a soft ball.Stand the pan on a cold surface for 5minutes, and then beat the mixture untilthick, creamy and beginning to go ‘grainy’.Pour into the tin and mark into squares, cutwhen cold.

4 tablespoons Honey4 ounces Butter4 ounces Sugar4 ounces Chocolate (grated)2 ounces Coconut5 ounces Rice Krispies

Recipe (23) Honey Bubbles

Melt the butter, honey and sugar slowly in aheavy based saucepan and boil for 3minutes without stirring.Place the chocolate, coconut and RiceKrispies in a bowl and pour over the honeymixture and stir well.Press into lightly greased rectangular trays,then cut into squares when firm.

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