Honey is raisin' its game with added ingredients

Rum and raisin may be a familiar favourite when it comes to ice cream, but Martlet Natural Food & Drink ventured into unknown territory when it used the flavour in honey.

"We're always working with different flavours of honey, such as orange, lime and mandarin," says the manufacturer's new product development chef Chris Brooks. "I had the idea straight away and it only took a day to perfect," he says. Raisins contain inulin, which is a prebiotic and this complements honey, which is also a natural prebiotic, he claims.

The raisins were used in a paste form, which was produced by extruding raisins through a fine mesh screen. "We had to use a set honey because even if we used a clear honey, the particulate of the raisin would crystallise it," he says.

Brooks is looking at how the honey could complement different dishes: "You could use it to substitute the sugar in a sponge; warm it up and have it over ice cream; or use it as a Weetabix topping."

The product was created for the California Raisins Innovation Award, where it took third place, and it has now been taken on by Fosters Traditional Foods. The firm supplies food to garden centres, convenience stores, and foodservice, and is hoping to launch the honey by the end of the year.

Brooks is now developing nettle and rosehip honeys. Nettle is acknowledged for its cleansing and antiseptic properties, while rosehip is thought to keep skin and joints healthy. These characteristics sit well with honey, which is believed to have healing properties, he claims.