​Discovering the wonderful world of honey

There has been a real increase in artisan producers and enthusiasts trying their hands at beekeeping, and the figures continue to grow. This is a wonderful pastime that is as intellectually challenging as it is creative. Bees are a complex and fascinating species, and beekeeping is an ancient art form that is hugely satisfying and enjoyable to pursue. Of course, one of the main benefits is the finished result; jars of wonderful local honey and by-products such as honeycomb and beeswax. All of these products can be made into craft items that are highly in demand, from beeswax candles to honeycomb honey, the ultimate treat for a foodie.

Making a wonderful honey cake

What better way to enjoy honey than in a delicious cake, perfect for a slice of something sweet on a sunny day. This is one of our favourite recipes and it's easy to make too.

Simply preheat your fan oven to 140c or your conventional oven to 160c / gas 3. Use a 20cm round cake tin with a loose bottom, butter it and line it to avoid it sticking. Cut 225g of unsalted butter into pieces and place into a pan with 250g of clear honey and 100g of dark muscovado sugar. Slowly melt over a low heat. As the mixture becomes liquid, increase the heat and let the pan boil for around a minute. Let the mix cool for 20 minutes so that the eggs don't scramble when they are added.

Beat three large eggs into the melted honey mix with a wooden spoon. Sift 300g of self-raising flour into a large bowl, then add the honey and egg mix, beating steadily until the batter is runny and smooth. This batter can then be poured into the tin and baked for up to an hour until the cake is golden brown, well-risen and springs up when you press the centre. If you push a skewer into the middle of the cake it should come out clean.

Turn the cake out and place it on a wire rack. Warm a little extra honey in a pan and brush it over the cake for a sticky glaze, then let your creation cool fully before allowing the family to tuck in. It will last for up to 5 days wrapped in an airtight tin, but frankly, we think you'll be lucky if it lasts for the day.

Some of our favourite ways to use honey

Line up your beautiful honey jars and you'll see that different blends or local kinds of honey have different colours and textures. This is because the bees take their nectar from different local plants, and this has an influence on the final taste. Think pine honey, lavender honey and orange blossom honey and you'll see why the finest treats always involve buying single-origin honey rather than a generic blend. If you store your produce in beautiful glass honey jars, they will look wonderful in a pantry; complete the job with pretty labels and a wonderful serving spoon to decorate your breakfast table.

Honey is wonderful in savoury dishes too. Did you know that many British gardens can successfully grow figs in a sunny spot? Perhaps you might consider growing your own figs to eat with goat's cheese and a drizzle of your favourite honey on a warm day? Absolutely delicious, and as good as anything you could buy in a restaurant.

Honey also makes a wonderful glaze for meat. Try roasting pork with a glaze of honey, cinnamon, lemon, salt and pepper in a Rodizio style. Or use it to make a delicious salad dressing with plenty of sweetness and flavour; wonderful with a sprinkle of roasted walnuts. Other great pairings with honey include nuts, citrus fruits, tea, fish, butter, root veggies and cheese. And a little honey added to your daily cup of coffee will elevate it in a completely new way.

Honey jars for delicious projects

Whether you have your own bees, or simply like to discover and store your own locally-bought honey in style, our honey glass jars are perfect for storing this sticky nectar. They have wide necks for easy access, which helps to reduce the issue of honey spilling down the edge of the glass and into your cupboards. You'll find a beautiful range of honey glass jars in our product lines, all at great prices and with swift delivery on offer. Keep checking back to see new products as they are released: https://www.waresofknutsford.co.uk/jars/honey-jars/

Buy Honey Jars & Wholesale - Wares of Knutsford More Information on our Honey Jars Range. Our beekeeper recommends short squat jars with good quality lids. There are 10 honey jars in our range plus a traditional honey pot with wooden dipper. www.waresofknutsford.co.uk

If you have any queries about honey jars or anything else on sale at Wares of Knutsford, our customer services team is also delighted to assist at any point during working hours. Sign up to our newsletter for all of the latest news, product releases and special offers, or follow us on social media to keep up to date with everything new, exciting and inspiring at Wares.