What is Hot Honey?

Hot honey is quickly becoming a must-have ingredient in kitchens and restaurants across the world. Combining the natural sweetness of honey with the fiery kick of chilli peppers, hot honey adds a unique flavour profile to both savoury and sweet dishes. Let’s dive into the spicy-sweet world of hot honey and discover why it’s a favourite for food lovers everywhere.

What Exactly is Hot Honey?

Hot honey is honey that’s been infused with chilli peppers or other spices to create a blend of sweetness with a punch of heat. The most common chillies used for this infusion are red chilli flakes, habaneros, or scotch bonnet peppers, but some versions use milder peppers for a more subtle spice. The result of chilly-infused honey is a delicious combination of flavours that can be used to enhance a wide range of dishes.

The versatility of chilly-infused honey is what has made it gain popularity in recent years. It’s perfect for drizzling, glazing, and even stirring into drinks, adding both sweetness and a spicy kick to your meal. 

How is Hot Honey Made?

Making hot honey is surprisingly simple. It involves gently heating honey and infusing it with chilli peppers or pepper extracts until the flavours meld together. To make the best hot honey recipe suited to you, the heat level can be adjusted depending on the type and amount of chilli used. 

For homemade hot honey, many people use red chilli flakes or fresh peppers to infuse the honey. After letting the mixture sit and cool, it’s ready to use as a drizzle, glaze, or dip. You can even make hot honey at home by heating honey with chilli peppers, adjusting the spice level to your taste for spicy honey for pizza.

What Does Hot Honey Taste Like?

The flavour profile of hot honey is a delightful blend of sweet and spicy. The honey provides a natural pure, sweetness, while the chilli peppers add a heat kick. This unique combination of flavours means it can complement both savoury and sweet dishes without overpowering them.

Hot honey has a way of enhancing other flavours. When used as a drizzle or glaze, it can balance rich, savoury dishes, or elevate desserts with a hint of spice. Whether you’re using hot honey on pizza, chicken, or even cocktails, it brings something extra to the table.

Health Benefits of Hot Honey

Not only is hot honey a delicious condiment, but it also offers some potential health benefits. Honey is a natural sweetener that contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties for an immune boost. Chilli peppers, on the other hand, contain capsaicin, which can help boost metabolism and improve circulation.

Using hot honey as a sweetener in place of processed sugar can be a healthier option for those looking to add flavour without the extra calories. Plus, the combination of honey and chilli peppers makes hot honey a natural choice for those who enjoy a little heat with their sweetness.

How to Make Your Own Hot Honey at Home

If you want to try your own hot honey recipe-making at home, it’s a simple process that requires only two ingredients: honey and chilli peppers (or chilli flakes). Heat the honey over low heat, add the chilli, and let it infuse for about 30 minutes. Once it cools, strain out the chilli flakes or peppers, and you’ve got homemade chilli-infused honey ready to use!

Top Ways to Use Hot Honey

So, how do you use hot honey in your cooking? Here are some of the most popular ways people incorporate hot honey into their meals:

1. Drizzling on Pizza adds a spicy-sweet contrast that enhances the salty, cheesy goodness. 

2. Glazing Meats as the honey caramelises as it cooks, creating a sticky, flavourful glaze with just the right amount of spice. 

3. Hot honey pairs beautifully with cheese as it contrasts the richness of the cheese.

4. Adding to Cocktails as a substitute for sweet-spicy syrup in drinks like margaritas, whiskey sours, or even mojitos.

The popularity of hot honey has skyrocketed, and for good reason. Its versatility means it can be used in countless ways, from drizzling on pizza to spicing up cocktails. Whether you’re using it as a glaze, a dip, or a topping, hot honey’s balance of sweet and spicy enhances the flavours of almost any dish.