Bee Limitless

CRYSTALLIZATION OF HONEY

From the perspective of physical chemistry, raw honey is a supersaturated solution.  As the bees cure flower nectar or tree saps to create honey, they remove a lot of water from the nectar.  The resulting honey is primariily a solution of sugars and water that remains in a state of flux, always in the process of either further drying out in the direction of a dried crystallized solution, or further liquefying, pulling water molecules from its surroundings and gently liquefying.

The process of crystallization of honey occurs when glucose, one of the natural sugars present in raw honey, spontaneously precipitates out of the supersaturated honey solution.  The glucose slightly dries in the air, giving up water molecules and becoming crystalline glucose monohydrate.  These crystals create a lattice form which generates the semi-solid state of the “crystallized honey”.  The crystallization generally occurs slowly, over the course of weeks or months.  During this process, the higher moisture content liquid honey remains the top of the jar, while the heavier crystalline structure develops on the bottom of the jar. 

In general, honeys will crystallize quicker in cooler environments, and resist crystallization in warmer surroundings.  The rate at which raw honeys crystallize is a function of the variety of the honey, and the various sugars in their differing proportions, depending on the flower source for the honey.  Some honeys, such as Tupelo and Black Button Sage, are known to resist crystallization completely, and some Acacia honeys which remain liquid for years.  Other honeys crystallize more rapidly in normal conditions.

 

How to liquefy a Crystallized Honey

While the various textures of raw honeys are one the many gourmet appeals of this magical foods, sometimes a recipe calls for liquid honey. Thankfully, crystallized raw honey can be liquefied rather easily.  By gently warming the honey, the warming temperature will loosen the crystalline lattice structure of the honey, without destroying any of the nutrients and enzymes present in the raw honey.

Bee Limitless recommends the following for liquefying your crystallized honey
 

DO NOT MICROWAVE YOUR HONEY
Warm a small saucepan half filled with water.  Remove from stove and let the saucepan sit for a few minutes until the water is just warm to the touch.
Place  jar of honey in warm water and let it sit and warm gently for 10-15 minutes stirring every few minutes.