Caution, long question: I'm particularly interested is hearing
Chromedome-ga's take on this, especially since that esteemed
researcher has already formed the basis for the chemistry underlying
my query in another answer. My question, alas, is more specific, and a
good deal more difficult.
The goal:
Make a honey butter syrup
The caveats:
It must remain liquid at room temperature.
It must not congeal when added to cold liquids
Tw secondary hopes:
That it remains a stable emulsion requiring only minimum agitation before use.
That it remains reasonably translucent (though this is not urgent, it
was the case as described directly below.
Additional facts:
This is for use as an additive to cold beverages.
It has been done before with complete success, both historically and
currently albeit by folks who chose to keep their technique secret!
What I've tried: Clarifying the butter and carefully separating the
clear part, making a separate honey syrup (basically 4 parts honey to
3 parts water) and combing them while still warm.
What happened: They separated. One jar of this mix I continued to
agitate. The next day it was solid at room temperature, the color of
apple sauce, the consistency of apple butter. The other jar I did not
agitate. It remained separated and interestingly, both of the levels
remained liquid. Actually, the butter obviously created two
mini-levels: the clarified clear part and additional milk solids below
it, and of course the honey syrup below that.
If I scoop out the top white part, (and the clear butter part?) the
question will be whether or not the lower amber part is sufficiently
buttery, or just the honey syrup. Or should I leave the clear butter
part with any faith that in combining it with the honey portion that
it will not congeal?
Additional ponderings:
Whether this is correctly a syrup or a sauce, I am not sure. Does the
second jar demonstrate that I didn't efficiently-enough remove the
milk solids? Is there some binder I should be using? This is about
stabilizing, but not about thickening. What about not simply removing
the dairy solids from butter (through clarification) but literally
replacing them - as with corn oil. This, might somewhat adversely
affect the flavor slightly (not being quite as buttery) but could aid
in preserving the liquid state.
Perhaps alcohol might impede the congealing. Perhaps I should not add
water to the honey, making it just honey and clarified butter.
HOWEVER: I just noted my second bottle of overflow mix, and unlike the
other one which I shook, this one I did not. It separated, but did not
congeal. If I scoop out the top white part, the question will be
whether or not the lower amber part is sufficiently buttery, or just
the honey syrup.
And we know that it can be done, but how? Superb kudos to whoever can
solve the puzzle! |
