How To Use Corn Syrup To Fix Crystallized Honey For Good

Crystallized honey is a real bummer when all you want to do is drizzle a little of the good stuff over your pancakes in the morning. Luckily, according to America's Test Kitchen, you can use an ingredient that you've likely got in your pantry to fix solidified honey for good; a generous squeeze of corn syrup. This invert sugar prevents the glucose molecules in the honey from attaching to each other, preventing it from hardening up into those small unwanted crystals.

While it's possible to get crystalized honey to return to its original smooth consistency by warming it up (either by steeping it in a pan of hot water or in a slow cooker) it will stiffen up again after a short period, which means you'll have to keep repeating the process every time you want to use it to sweeten your tea. Alternatively, you can microwave crystallized honey, but this quicker option can cause it to dangerously bubble over and adversely affect the subtle flavor of milder varieties of honey.

Using corn syrup is the best option because the honey stays in its liquid form for far longer. Simply squeeze some corn syrup (about two teaspoons for every cup of honey) into your glass jar and place the whole thing in a pan of hot water. As the heat from the water softens the honey, stir the corn syrup through until it's fully incorporated and ready to use.

A mixture of glucose, fructose and water, honey is produced by female honey bees from the nectar of flowers. As the water in the honey evaporates, the separated glucose molecules in the mixture naturally come closer and start to stick together, creating those clumps of crystallization. Introducing corn syrup into the mix prevents this banding process from occurring because the syrup mimics the job of that lost water and keeps the glucose molecules apart, resulting in that golden, fluid consistency. 

It's easier to squeeze honey into spicy marinades, drizzle over freshly baked cakes, or whip into heavy cream when it's in its fluid form. However, you can skip the entirety of this process and enjoy your honey in its textured crystalized character if your recipe doesn't call for it to be runny and smooth. For example, its stiff, crunchy consistency pairs well with the smooth creaminess of goat's cheese atop a freshly toasted slice of sourdough. Moreover, as long as you can spoon it out of the jar without too much trouble, solidified honey will soften and melt into hot dishes, like a bowl of steaming porridge or a warm balsamic glaze, anyway. The inherent sweetness of honey is perfect for lifting the flavor of the natural sugars in tomatoes, adding depth to casseroles, and cleverly balancing the taste of spicy stir fries.