If you are interested in making homemade natural chocolate, then you might have noticed that most recipes include the addition of a sweetener. Some recipes mention agave nectar, stevia, or raw cane sugar as a way to bring sweetness to your batch of all-natural chocolate if you are making it from scratch. However, when you are making your own natural chocolate, you are already using the healthiest, most nutrient-dense ingredients possible. Why choose a traditional sweetener when you can add a healthy sweetener that is tasty (honey retains floral notes) and is loaded with beneficial properties? Here is why honey is ideal for natural chocolate making as well as some of the best types to use.
Why Honey Is Greater Than Your Average Sweetener
The benefits of honey are notable in the raw version. Raw in this case means that it is unpasteurized; raw honey can come in a crystalized form (will appear heavier and creamier than the liquid form) as well as a liquid form. Much of the honey you see at grocery stores will have the pasteurized version; it is important to look for the raw version. Honey is a great source of antioxidants (polyphenols), has antifungal and antibacterial properties, is loaded with phytonutrients, and can speed wound-healing time.
The Types of Honey That Are Available
There are many different types of honey; they may vary in color and flavor as well as texture. The categories of honey can be separated into three groups. Single Origin means that the nectar used to make the honey comes from a specific plant. Multi-flower means that the nectar comes from a variety of different plants. Local means that the nectar is from a specific territory or region. You may have heard of Manuka honey, which is nectar from a New Zealand shrub. However, there are many other types of honey produced that have been named after the plants where the nectar was collected from including: Acacia, Wildflower, Sage, Orange Blossom, Clover, and Eucalyptus. If you want honey made from the nectar of the blossoms of Tupelo trees, look for Tupelo honey for sale.
Adding Honey to Your Natural Chocolate Recipe
Liquid honey is probably the most common form you will run into; whipped (or creamed), and comb honey is available also. The liquid form will blend easily into your recipe. If you use whipped/creamed or comb honey for your natural chocolate recipe, it will help to add thickness and texture to your batch, and after the last step of refrigeration, adds the perfect dimension to your fresh batch of chocolate. If you choose comb honey, just run it through your food processor first before blending it in.
A Sustainable Product and Renewable Resource
Now more than ever, it is vital to support small businesses, mom and pop stores, local stores, beekeepers, and honey bees. If you choose raw honey, that means it is directly from the hive. This means that honey is a truly renewable resource—an entirely sustainable ingredient. The bee colony that the honey is harvested from is safe because it is only harvested from the excess honey stores that they are not using for survival. Whether Wildflower or Manuka, liquid or creamed, adding raw honey to your natural chocolate recipe will give it a great nutrient-packed boost and is a healthy alternative to your traditional sweeteners.