Weeds are only bad in name! Many weeds are in fact edible and have many medicinal virtues. Dandelions, for example, are pretty golden flowers that grow rapidly in our gardens as soon as spring arrives. Children love to help pick them in the warm spring sunshine to make great recipes. And if the salad with bacon and hard-boiled eggs or the dandelion omelette remain great classics, the cramaillote is also worth a try! This dandelion honey is presented as a jelly and is actually a dandelion flower jam. Discover this recipe to spread on buns or bread, to use to sweeten your yoghurts or to associate with a nice cheese board.
Little bonus: Original, ancestral, vegan and economical, this recipe is excellent against sore throat and cough. Another good reason to try this nectar as soon as the flowers bloom!
Ingredients:
-About 365 dandelion flowers
-850 gr of sugar
1,5 liter of water
1 organic orange
2 untreated lemons
Optional: a vanilla bean; agar-agar
We advise you to harvest your flowers in a garden or in a field at the beginning of the afternoon (the time when they are more open). Avoid the roadside where the flowers are very polluted.
The recipe to make dandelion honey:
1) Once you have taken care of collecting your dandelions, wash them carefully to remove the dirt and small bugs. Then drain them.
2) Then carefully remove the green part so that only the yellow pistils remain. This is tedious, but worth it, as the green part can give a bitter taste to the cramaillote.
3) Dry your flowers in the sun for an hour.
4) During this time, squeeze your citrus fruits. Then add your water in a saucepan along with the petals. Then bring the whole to a boil and make sure to skim regularly until you get a translucent jam. Let it simmer for an hour before letting the pot cool overnight (the smell is not very pleasant at this stage of the recipe, but don’t worry!)
5) Using a cheesecloth or clean cloth, strain your mixture, making sure to get as much juice as possible. Head to the saucepan with the sugar to bring to a boil and cook for about 45 minutes.
6) Check if the jelly sets by putting it in a cold plate. If not, continue cooking or add 1.5 cc of agar-agar (a natural gelling agent).
7) Transfer to your honey jars and seal well. Preferably, sterilize them beforehand for a better conservation of the dandelion honey. Without sterilization, this last will be able however to be preserved in the refrigerator during several weeks.
The benefits of dandelions…
This plant is mainly known for its depurative and diuretic virtues. It stimulates our liver and our gall bladder and participates in their proper functioning. Moreover, it helps to eliminate kidney and gallstones and accompanies weight loss thanks to its eliminatory properties acting against water retention. Its virtues do not stop there however! It is also used in the French pharmacopoeia to fight against digestive disorders (bloating and constipation) as well as against skin aging thanks to its richness in trace elements, vitamins and minerals and its action against free radicals. Enough to think twice before talking about “weed”!
I have 30 years of experience and i started this website to see if i could try and share my knowledge to help you.
With a degree a Horticulture BSc (Hons)
I have worked as a horticulture specialist lead gardener, garden landscaper, and of course i am a hobby gardener at home in my own garden.
Please if you have any questions leave them on the article and i will get back to you personally.
