Dandelion 'Honey' Recipe

Did you know you can make 'honey' from Dandelions? Not only is it the perfect vegan alternative, it's also packed full of goodness.

The primary health benefit of dandelion honey involves the digestive system. As a bitter digestive and liver tonic, it enhances appetite and digestion, increasing the flow of digestive juices and aids absorption. It helps supports the liver as a major detoxifying organ and is recommended in problems associated with sluggish liver such as tiredness, irritability, headaches and skin problems.

Dandelion 'Honey'

100 dandelion flower heads (100 weigh about 100 g medium to large heads)
2 apples cut into chunks, seeds removed
1L water
50ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
750g sugar
1 micro pinch of salt

• Pick your dandelions on a dry, sunny morning to get there before the bees and other insects. Avoid taking them from around trees or pavements, aim where possible to take from the middle of a large field.
• Spread your flowers out on kitchen towel to allow the little insects to crawl away, you can pick them off too. If you run your dandelions under water you'll wash away the pollen, and this is what you need to make the honey! (Bear in-mind that the boiling process will kill bacteria).
• Trim the stalks, you don't need to remove its green hat.
• Put flowers, apples, lemon juice and salt in a large pot on the stove and pour over the water. Cover and let it boil gently for 20-30 minutes.
• Strain away the flowers and apples, transfer your flower water back into the pan, add the sugar, give it a stir and let it simmer on a very low heat without covering. This should be your only 'stir' as this is when the crystallisation process is happening.
• After a few hours it should have reduced by about a third, keep simmering until you have reached your desired consistency.
• Pour into sterilised containers and once cooled keep in the fridge.

At the boiling stage, you can add another strong scented, wild edible-flower like lavender for a more fragrant honey.

Enjoy on bread, with your breakfast or on your nice-cream!

Jenya Di Pierro
Herbal Medicine Practitioner, BA, MA, AMH, ANP
@JENYADIPIERRO

Tags: Recipe | Author: Jenya Di Pierro, Herbalist & Naturopath