Accidental creamed honey?

I bought a large (quart+-sized) from the farmers' market, where I always buy it. It's standard honey in that it is amber-ish in color and flows. After a couple of months, I couldn't reach the honey at the bottom of the tall jar, so I poured it out into a smaller, clean jar. Within a day or two, it became semi-solid, was significantly lighter in color, and was no longer translucent. Basically, it became creamed/whipped honey.

From what I've read, the process of making creamed honey is an actual process. What happened to mine? How/why did it get that way? And I the flavor is still great and I love the texture, so I'm not complaining. If anything, I'm wondering if I can make it happen again!

vvvanessa
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7 Comments

vvvanessa
vvvanessa January 3, 2012
hardlikearmour, it's kind of weird in that it is granular but not as granular as I usually associate with crystallized honey. But it isn't totally smooth like the store-bought creamed honey either. I'm just shrugging my shoulders at this point. In any case, it's delicious!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour December 30, 2011
Vvvanessa, I'm curious - is the texture granular or smooth. When my honey crystallizes it's very granular, but the creamed honey is very smooth. If you indeed have a smooth version, I'd love to know how it happened!
 
susan G.
susan G. December 30, 2011
When I sold a wonderful local honey, some of it would crystallize after a bit. My answer to people who asked was that, as Droplet says, all honeys do this -- with the proviso that they are naturally extracted and have not been pasteurized. I believe it has something to do with enzymes. vvvanessa, you have the right attitude! After all, people pay extra for this, if you put it in a hot drink it quickly melts, and the gentle heat solution is easy.
And the water "droplet" issue -- I have to tell people, when we sold bulk honey (and other liquids) that their jar had to be bone dry, because the water is a contaminant.
Sounds like lovely honey!
 
vvvanessa
vvvanessa January 3, 2012
Thanks, susan g. It is delicious honey in both liquid and creamed states!
 
Droplet
Droplet December 30, 2011
It just crystalized. One of the most common reasons for this to happen to a jar you eat out of, is when you double dip with a spoon or a spreader that has small crumbs on it or butter residue for example. All honeys crystallize eventually,some quicker than others. Storing it in the fridge almost always increases the likelihood. If you want to restore it to a clear liquid state, heat it gently in a water bath.
 
vvvanessa
vvvanessa December 30, 2011
Thanks, Droplet. It was just strange that it happened right after I changed containers and that it happened so fast. I shouldn't be surprised if the jar got contaminated, though I am pretty careful about not double dipping.
 
Droplet
Droplet December 30, 2011
The container you transfered it into might not have been completely dry.
 
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