This recipe, from 2013, is one of my first attempts at modifying an existing recipe to include honey instead of sugar. I found it on the printed pages of the Ottawa Citizen, but turns out it originates from Bon Appetit magazine. I made a few other modifications – we usually use squash for our pumpkin pie – yes, squash makes the best pumpkin pie! I also didn't use crystallized ginger as in the original recipe, but maybe I'll try that next time.

 

Makes: Two 9-inch (23-cm) pies (about 8 servings)

Ingredients

For crust:

• Pastry for two 9-inch (23-cm) pies

Topping:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup pecans
• 4 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 4 tbsp African Bronze Honey
• Large pinch of sea salt
• 2 tbsp crystallized ginger, slivered.

Filling:

• 4 cups mashed squash – Hubbard or Acorn squash work well. Or if you prefer use one large can of pumpkin.
• 2/3 cup African Bronze Honey
• 1 tbsp mild-flavoured (light) molasses
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream

Method

For crust:

1. Roll out pastry dough disk on lightly floured surface to a 13-inch (33-cm) round.
2. Transfer crust to a 9-inch (23-cm) glass pie plate.
3. Press crust evenly onto bottom and sides of dish.
4. Trim dough overhang to 1 inch (2.5 cm).
5. Fold overhang under, forming high-standing rim 3/4-inch (1.5 cm) above sides of dish.
6. Crimp edges decoratively.
7. Freeze crust until firm, about 1 hour.

For topping:

1. Melt butter in large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
2. Add pecans and pepitas; sauté until nuts brown slightly and pepitas begin to pop, about 2 minutes.
3. Drizzle honey and salt over; stir until honey melts and nuts are coated with glaze, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the crystallized ginger.
5. Remove skillet from heat.
6. Cool topping in skillet.

For filling:

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Combine pumpkin, honey, molasses, flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in medium bowl.
3. Whisk until well blended.
4. Whisk in eggs, then cream.
5. Pour filling into crust.
6. Sprinkle topping evenly around edge of filling, forming a 1½-inch (3.5-cm) border (some of the topping may sink into filling.
7. Bake pie 15 minutes at 425.
8. Turn heat down to 350, bake for another 45 minutes, or until filling is set (centre may move very slightly when dish is gently shaken) .
9. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

Serve with dollops of whipped cream to taste. You can make this recipe with or without the topping. I've done it both ways and everyone loves it as the final touch to a Thanksgiving dinner!

Thanks Laura Robin, the Ottawa Citizen and Bon Appetit for the inspiration!

In southern Africa a spicy snack is often served on special occasions. Flying ants spiced with chillies, a touch of honey and salt are traditionally served during the rainy season. Since we didn't have any ants in season, like many things in Africa you have to make do with what you have on hand. Why not improvise and use almonds?



Ingredients

5 lbs good organic almonds
1 cup you favourite soya or tamari sauce
1/2 cup sesame oil or raw coconut oil
1/2 cup African Bronze Honey
6 tablespoons sea salt
4 tablespoons onion powder
4 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons of your favourite Piri Piri sauce (hot sauce)
Method

Put all ingredients in a large roasting pan. Mix well.
Place in oven set to 220° F.
Stir every half hour for the next 2 - 1/2 to 3 hours.
Remove from oven. Stir occasionally as they cool so that they don't clump together.
We'll be sampling these at The Fair Trade Show, June 4 and 5, 2016, so we made enough to serve a small village!

These are perfect for snacks or tea – and even better for your fundraising bake sale. They're easy to make, take almost no time and they're tasty too!

Thanks to 14-year-old Jaclyn Holdsworth from Pickering, Ontario for sending us this recipe. Jaclyn's been baking cookies and selling honey to raise funds for her Me to We school building trip to Kenya in July this year. And Jaclyn knows her cookies! She's been fundraising since she was six!

Hint: the taste of African Bronze makes these cookies great. They are even better when made for bake sales!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup African Bronze honey
• 1 egg
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour (we used 1 cup unbleached white flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375º
2. Mix together the butter, sugar and honey until thoroughly blended
3. Add the egg and mix until well blended
4. Measure out the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix well
5. Add to the honey mixture and combine until just well mixed
6. Spoon onto cookie sheets (use non-stick sheets or add baking parchment)
7. Bake in 375º oven for 7 to 9 minutes until set and light brown in colour. They should be darker brown around the edges
8. Cool on wire rack for 3 to 5 minutes

Makes 2 trays of 12 cookies. (How much can you sell those for?)

We love to travel, meet new people and learn new things. On our recent trip to Chile we visited Pichilemu, an off the beaten track village with some of the best surfing waves in the southern hemisphere. We stayed at some cool geodesic domes called Pichilemu Domos and made friends with our host, Nicholas. He taught the King Bee how to make Chile's national drink, the Pisco Sour. We made it even more fabulous with a honey simple syrup using African Bronze Honey. This recipe makes 2+ drinks.

Ingredients

• 2 shots organic lime juice
• 4 shots Pisco
• a splash of egg white
• 2 shots African Bronze Honey simple syrup
• make with one part honey and one part warm water
• stir well until completely mixed
• ice cubes

 Method

1. Add ingredients in a blender or cocktail shaker in the order listed.
2. Shake until frothy.
3. Serve in champagne flutes at sundown on the Pacific ocean.

Your mother was always fair to you, so treat her to a home cooked Mother's Day brunch this Sunday with freshly made honey, lemon and poppy seed muffins. These are sweet and tangy with the rich, grown-up taste of fairly traded African Bronze Honey. You love your mom, she'll love these.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons Poppy seeds
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup butter melted

   
  
  

Method

1.  Measure out the dry ingredients and mix together, sift the flour to keep it light
2.  Grate the lemon zest of one lemon using a rasp,  squeeze the lemon juice and mix together
3.  Add the honey to the lemon mixture and add the egg, beat until well mixed
4.  Melt the butter and add slowly to the honey, lemon, egg mixture, stirring until well mixed
5.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry, folding gently. Don't overmix
6.  Spoon the batter into pre-prepared muffin tins, use parchment paper or muffin cups instead of greasing the muffin tin if you prefer.
7.  Bake in a pre-heated 375º F oven for about 18 minutes, or until slightly golden on top. To be sure, test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into one muffin. If it comes out clean, they are done.