Dandelion "honey" recipe
Dandelion flowers are at their absolute peak in springtime, their sunshine yellow flowers brighten up every patch of land across the country. Some fields are carpeted in yellow, with thousands and thousands of blooms. They are so familiar we could be tempted to pass them by not realising how wonderful they are.
Many insects, especially bees find dandelion flowers an invaluable source of nectar and pollen in spring, and we are now starting to see conservationists request that we don't mow our lawns so often but let the flowers grow. Luckily dandelions will keep making new flower buds across the summer if some are picked or cut, which is good news for the forager. We always have sustainability in mind so we look for plants that won't be harmed by a few leaves or flowers picked, here and there. And we always leave plenty for the bees.
Every part of the dandelion is edible from the flowers to the roots - although no plant can legally be dug up without the land owners permission, even dandelions. The golden flowers have a sweet honey-like taste when eaten, freshly opened on a sunny morning. The leaves make a good bitter leaf in a salad, similar to chicory in bitterness, and the roots can be roasted to make a delicious vegetable or ground into dandelion "coffee". The latest research has discovered that, like honey, dandelions have antibacterial and antiviral properties, which makes them not only delicious but good for our health too.
DANDELION SYRUP OR "HONEY'
Many insects, especially bees find dandelion flowers an invaluable source of nectar and pollen in spring, and we are now starting to see conservationists request that we don't mow our lawns so often but let the flowers grow. Luckily dandelions will keep making new flower buds across the summer if some are picked or cut, which is good news for the forager. We always have sustainability in mind so we look for plants that won't be harmed by a few leaves or flowers picked, here and there. And we always leave plenty for the bees.
Every part of the dandelion is edible from the flowers to the roots - although no plant can legally be dug up without the land owners permission, even dandelions. The golden flowers have a sweet honey-like taste when eaten, freshly opened on a sunny morning. The leaves make a good bitter leaf in a salad, similar to chicory in bitterness, and the roots can be roasted to make a delicious vegetable or ground into dandelion "coffee". The latest research has discovered that, like honey, dandelions have antibacterial and antiviral properties, which makes them not only delicious but good for our health too.
Our absolute favourite dandelion recipe is, without doubt, dandelion "honey". It looks like honey, smells like honey and tastes like honey without exploiting any bees making it absolutely perfect for vegans. It is absolutely delicious and always goes down a storm with the lovely people on our foraging courses. They have asked us to put the recipe on our website - enjoy!
DANDELION SYRUP OR "HONEY'
- Roughly 1 litre of dandelion flowers picked on a dry, sunny morning - use them straightaway because they begin to close up once they are picked, and give them a good shake to knock any insects out
- Boiling water
- Golden caster sugar
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Pull all the petals from the flower heads and put into a small saucepan leaving as much of the green parts out as possible (they are bitter).
- Cover the petals with boiling water and bring back to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave to go cold. Pour the liquid and petals into a jug and put into the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, strain the liquid through a sieve into a measuring jug. Squeeze the petals to get all the liquid out - they hold a surprising amount.
- For every millilitre of liquid, weigh out the same amount in grams of golden caster sugar, i.e. 150ml of liquid = 150 grams of sugar.
- Put the liquid and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is starting to bubble - don't stir. Add a squeeze of lemon juice - approximately 1 tbsp full. Turn up the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Pour into sterilised jars. The "honey" will keep for about 3 months in the fridge - if it lasts that long!