Hot Honey: The quirky condiment that is transforming regular food

Ever thought that you can drizzle honey on your cheesy pizzas and actually like it? Or drizzle them on your freshly fried salted French fries and enjoy the taste? This is the magic of hot honey. And no we are not talking about warm honey but honey infused with chilli so that it turns spicy. A genius mind in the US, known for its culinary innovations, changed the way honey was eaten and transformed it into a fusion sauce which is now used in many dishes, in restaurants or home, alike.

All you need to know about hot honey and when to use it

The heat in hot honey comes from the intensity of the chilli infusion. While it is commonly available in the markets in bottles, it is equally easy to make at home. In fact, making it as per your liking, makes it easier to experiment with different kinds of chilly infusion and the strength of the heat.

How to make hot honey at home?  

To quickly make it at home, you need a cup of honey. Make sure that this honey is unflavoured and raw. Flavoured honey may interfere with the heat infusion and the ultimate taste may not be up to the mark. For the infusion, you can work with chilli flakes or take spicier ingredients like jalapeno, habanero, Serrano etc. Keep apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and smoked paprika as additional ingredients as well.

All you need to do is heat raw honey and chilli (whichever type you choose) on to a saucepan. Warm it on low heat but do not boil. The warmth will allow the chilli to infuse with the sweetness of the honey. Do a quick taste. See if you want to reduce the intensity or level it up. Once you are sure of the taste, remove it from the heat. Strain the chilli flakes or cut chilli pieces or you can leave it in for extra heat. Store it in an air tight jar or container and use when required. If you are preparing hot honey for the first time, then check the chilli chart. Chilli flakes, red pepper or jalapeno contribute towards mild heat while Serrano is for medium heat and habanero or bird’s eye chilli means its extra spicy and hot.

When you taste hot honey, it will have a sweet and spicy finish to the taste. Depending on the texture, whether it is strained or unstrained you will either have a smooth or chunky finish. Sometimes, you might also have a slightly smoky taste depending on the pepper / chilli used and their reaction to the heat.

How does hot honey transform your regular food?

Hot honey is the magic condiment that can transform any regular food by adding that missing zing. Be it cheesy pizzas or leafy vegetable salads, from freshly fried chicken wings to charcuterie boards, from simple noodles servings to even a sushi bite, it is flexible with any kind of cuisine and food. If you think that only savoury flavours gel well, wait till you hear about desserts. Hot honey can be great if you want to drizzle it over vanilla ice cream, waffles, pancakes, darsan and more. It gives you the leeway to enjoy a sweet treat without feeling its peak sweetness. Moreover, hot honey is also added to different kinds of marinades to add that extra kick in its initial flavouring.

So, are you ready to try out this warm, smooth, and spicy hot honey yet?

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