Delectable Dandelion Honey

Recipe by: Meghan

You are the bee when you make dandelion honey from flowers and sugar. It is a great substitute to put on toast, muffins, pancakes, and biscuits.

Prep Time 1 15

Cook Time 1 30

Steep Time 6 5

Total Time 8 50

Course Pantry

Servings 32 Tbsp (2 cups total)

Calories 64 kcal

*Note: Calories and cost is estimated, if provided.

4 cups Dandelion petals (see notes)
4 cups Water
3 Lemon slices , cut ¼ in thick
½ Vanilla bean , split and scraped (optional, could use extract instead after cooking)
2½ cups Granulated sugar

Gather dandelions and clean them with your chosen method if you are worried about bugs or insects that may still be on or inside the flower.
Remove just the petals from the flower head either by plucking or using sharp kitchen scissors. If you use scissors then there will be little bits of green which is okay (see notes).

Place 4 cups Dandelion petals, 4 cups Water, 3 Lemon slices, and ½ Vanilla bean in a medium-sized saucepan. If using the vanilla bean, place both the pod and caviar in.
Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove pan from heat, cover and let steep for 6 hours.

Strain the dandelion tea through a cheesecloth and discard the solids.
Return the tea to the saucepan and bring to a low boil.
Gradually add 2½ cups Granulated sugar to the boiling liquid, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved.
Reduce the heat and let simmer uncovered until it reaches desired syrupy thickness. Depending on your stove and heat setting, this could take up to an hour or a little longer.
The honey should be done when you can bring up the stirring utensil and as the honey cools it will form a little icicle, you'll want it to be slow to form like a syrup would do. Keep in mind it will thicken more as it cools.
If using vanilla extract, add it to the honey after it has cooled some and stir in to incorporate.

Store dandelion honey in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it should keep for about six months. You may also freeze for longer storage.

Some choose to leave the flower heads intact, but this can add a bitter note to the honey. To avoid potentially ruining all your hard work, it is recommended to use only the petals and eliminate as much of the green parts.

Herb-Infused: Try adding a little bit of fresh herbs such as bay leaves, sage, and/or thyme to the dandelion tea. Periodically taste the tea and as soon as you're happy with the level of herbal flavor, remove them. You don't want to let the herbs steep too long as they may overpower the delicate floral notes of the dandelion.
Orange-Infused: Try using orange slices in place of the lemon slices for a different citrus flavor.

Keyword Long Process