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We have a lot of great honey in Alberta, particularly on the prairies — Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba account for almost 80 per cent of our national production, and bees provide vital pollination to farmers growing other crops as well.

At the market, we’re lucky to have access to jars of honey in a range of colours and clarities, in shades from pale gold to amber to deep mahogany. Generally speaking, the darker the colour, the stronger the flavour, which is ultimately determined by the flowers on which bees feed, like clover, alfalfa or manuka. Terroir, weather conditions, and even time of year can contribute to the nuances in the taste and texture of honey — if you’re tuned into it, you can choose your honey like you might pick a specific jar of jam to spread on your morning toast.

When you’re cooking or baking with it, the subtleties in honey will come through in simpler dishes like creme brûlée or buttery cakes that are unobscured by chocolate or other ingredients. Keep in mind honey is sweeter than sugar, so you won’t need as much of it. It’s also a liquid, which can throw a recipe off when used in place of dry sugar, and it has humectant properties, meaning it draws moisture from the air — both these factors make it better suited to cakes, muffins and other baked goods that have a naturally cakey texture. And because its primary sugar is fructose, honey also browns more quickly, so whatever it is you’re baking will turn golden earlier in its baking time than if it was made with sugar. Most honey is thick, clear and pourable, but creamed honey is more solid and opaque; if you need a liquid honey, warming will transform both creamed and crystallized back to its liquid state.

If you really love honey, here are a few things to do with it: make a batch of baklava, which puts honey on a pedestal; or pour it over oats, nuts and seeds to make a batch of granola. Or if you like things sweet and spicy, add chilies and pour it generously over fried chicken and waffles.

Check out Julie’s recipe for Clumpy Honey Granola below, and her other recipes in the Fall Harvest Honey issue: Fried Chicken and Waffles with Hot Honey Butter and Baklava with Alberta Honey.

clumpy honey granola
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Clumpy Honey Granola

Honey is the very best ingredient for granola-making; you don’t even need to measure, you can just free-pour mild or strong honey over old-fashioned oats, nuts and seeds, until they’re coated to the point where they start to clump together. (Add some melted butter too — or not.) Spread the mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until it’s pale golden and toasty. And if you want to do a smaller batch, toast it all in a skillet on the stovetop, adding dried fruit last so it doesn’t burn. (Feel free to add cinnamon, ginger, cardamom or other spices, but if you leave them out, the flavour of the honey is more paramount.)
Author Julie Van Rosendaal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups old fashioned (large flake) oats (750 ml)
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional) (125 ml)
  • 1 cup nuts and or seeds (almonds), pecans, walnuts, cashews) (250 ml)
  • 1/3 cup seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin) (80 ml)
  • 1/4 tsp salt (1.5 ml)
  • 1/3 cup melted butter, coconut oil, or vegetable oil (80 ml)
  • 2/3 cup honey (160 ml)
  • 1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)
  • 1/2 - 1 cup slivered dried apricots, raisins, cranberries or other dried fruit (125 - 250 ml)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 150 C (300 F.)
  • In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, nuts, seeds and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the melted butter and honey, warming the honey if it’s too thick. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir to coat well.
  • Spread the mixture evenly onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until pale golden. Set aside to cool completely, then stir in the apricots or other dried fruit. Makes about 1.25 liters (5 cups.)