Friday, December 6, 2013

Winter Flavors, with Honey! from the Honey Feast Recipe Newsletter

Winter Flavors, with Honey! 
 
from the Honey Feast Recipe Newsletter

The festive feel in the air, gatherings with family and friends, and of course, the delicious holiday feasts are among the many reasons we look forward to the winter months. From decadent dishes to comforting drinks, the aromas and tastes of winter are unlike any other time of year.

This season, the National Honey Board and Melissa Bailey, author of the popular recipe blog Hungry Food Love, have created delectable honey-based drinks the whole family can enjoy! While eateries and coffee shops may draw us in with their seasonal offerings, nothing beats a warm, homemade drink with honey to get you through the cold winter days.

Stay warm this holiday season with our honey-inspired drinks!
 
Honey Caramel Coffee
(makes 4 servings)
  • 4 tbsp.  - honey
  • 1 tbsp.  - butter
  • ¼ cup  - heavy cream 
  • 1 dash  - salt
  • 4 cups - milk
  • 1 cup - espresso 
  • 1 tsp.  - vanilla extract
  • whipped cream (optional
For the honey caramel, add honey and butter into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once the mixture dissolves, add the heavy cream and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until mixture becomes a creamy caramel. Keep warm.
In a separate saucepan, heat milk over low-medium heat and bring to a boil. Add espresso and allow to heat through. Pour drink into four separate mugs. Add one tablespoon of the honey caramel into each drink and stir. Top with whipped cream if desired and drizzle more honey caramel on top of the whipped cream before serving.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate with Honey 
(makes 4 servings)
  • 4 tbsp. - honey
  • 4 cups - milk
  • 4 tbsp. - cocoa powder
  • 4 tbsp. - creamy peanut butter 
In a medium-sized saucepan, add milk and honey and heat over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the cocoa powder. After cocoa dissolves, turn heat off and add the peanut butter. Stir the ingredients with frequent and quick strokes so that the peanut butter blends well and the hot chocolate reaches a creamy, thick consistency. Serve immediately.  

Apple, Pineapple and Honey Cider
(makes 4 servings)
  • 3 tbsp.  - honey
  • 2 medium  - apples, chopped
  • 1 cup - pineapple, chopped
  • 1 tsp.  - ginger, grated
  • 2 sticks - cinnamon
  • ½ tsp.  - ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp.  - ground cloves
  • 4 cups - water
Place all ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium heat. Allow to boil for an hour.  After an hour has passed, test fruit with a fork; fruit should be very soft. Break apart the fruit with the fork to integrate the fruit's pulp into the cider. Cook for another 15 minutes. Serve hot.

White Chocolate Mocha with Mint and Honey Cream
(makes 4 servings)
 
  • 2 tbsp. - honey
  • 2 ½ cups  - whipped cream
  • 2 cups - milk
  • 1 cup -  white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup - espresso coffee
  • 1 tsp. - mint extract
  • crushed mints , (optional garnish)
Add the milk and 2 cups of the whipped cream into a medium-sized saucepan and heat over high heat. Bring to a boil. Add the white chocolate chips and one tablespoon of the honey. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coffee and the mint extract. Cook for another 5 minutes.
For the honey cream, add ½ cup of the whipped cream and 1 tablespoon of honey into a small bowl and mix using an electric mixer. Keep beating until peaks form when you lift the beater. 
Pour the white chocolate mocha into mugs and top off with the honey cream. Garnish with crushed mints.

Spiced Mandarin Orange Tea with Honey
(makes 4 servings)
 
  • 4 tbsp. - honey
  • 12 mandarin oranges  - juice , (with the pulp)
  • 4 mandarin oranges - rind 
  • 4 cups - water
  • 4 - star anise pods
  • ½ tsp. - nutmeg, ground
  • ½ tsp. - cinnamon, ground
  • 1 - cinnamon stick 
  • 1 tbsp.- vanilla extract
  • extra cinnamon sticks, (optional garnish)
Place all of the ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover with lid and heat over high heat. Stir every so often and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and boil for another 30 minutes without lid, until all the flavors are well combined and the aroma of the spices is strong.
Before serving, strain the tea to remove the pieces of rind and any residue. Serve hot and decorate each cup with a stick of cinnamon if desired.
Coconut Cream Honey Eggnog
(makes 4 servings)
 
  • 3 tbsp. - honey
  • 1 cup - coconut milk
  • ½ cup  - condensed milk
  • 1 cup - evaporated milk
  • 2 - egg yolks
  • 2 tsp. - cinnamon, ground
  • 1 cup - rum, (optional)
Place the three milks, the cinnamon and the yolks in a blender and blend. Next, pour the mixture into a medium-sized saucepan and cook over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the rum and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain to eliminate any solid residue. Store the eggnog in the refrigerator for 5 to 8 hours before serving.
*The rum can be left out for a non-alcoholic version.