DIY Gift Idea: Raspberry Vanilla Honey

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This year, I will be sharing a ton of ideas on what to give your friends and loved ones this holiday season.  Since I am a DIY-kind-of-girl, I am especially excited to both give and receive gifts that are lovingly made by hand.  If you think that making gifts from scratch has to be difficult and time-consuming, then I've found the perfect thing to try making yourself: Raspberry Vanilla Honey!

It is a simple recipe that requires three ingredients, just a few pieces of equipment, and practically no time at all.  I was inspired by the gorgeous Don Victor Honey, which has a beautiful golden color and comes with my absolute favorite way to enjoy honey... in the honeycomb!  The final gift is a lovely reddish color and I chose to include a few raspberries and a portion of a vanilla pod, just so the recipient sees what the honey is infused with before diving in.  Yum!

I found my jar of honey in the Hispanic Foods aisle of my local Walmart, and it is super eye-catching on display!  I noticed that there are no labels on the jar, so you can see the delicious honeycomb.  I challenge you NOT to drool right there in the store... :)

Now, let's get to the recipe!


Raspberry Vanilla Honey
A Vintage Zest original recipe

Ingredients

• 16 oz. Don Victor Honey with Comb
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 - 1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed and dried well  (See note below)

Directions

1. Wash five 4 oz. jars and the lids.

2. Prep the vanilla by split the bean lengthwise in half with a thin sharp paring knife.  Then, with the back of the knife, scrape out the seeds.

3. Cut the pod into 5 pieces to put inside the jar!

4. Add the honey to a medium saucepan.

5. Remove the comb and break apart into five equal pieces for each jar... or enjoy yourself on a cheese platter.  I did!

6. Add the raspberries, vanilla beans, and vanilla pod piece to the saucepan and coat with the honey.

Note: Choose the amount of raspberries depending on what you want from the final product.  The more raspberries you use, the thinner the honey will be.  During the first crack at the recipe, it became more of a syrup, which actually some of my family members preferred!

7. Cook over medium heat until just boiling.

8. As an optional step, place two whole raspberries and one vanilla bean piece into each jar.

9. Mash the remaining berries with the back of your spoon.

10. Remove the saucepan from the stove and pour the honey mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

11. Pour the honey into the jars.

12. Allow honey to cool completely uncovered.

13. Seal the jars and store for up to one year at room temperature.

Note: Do not discard the seeds!  They make a fun snack on their own OR you can spoon over plain or vanilla yogurt for a sweet treat.  In fact, they really remind me of sweetened chia seeds, so give them a try!

By the way, did you notice the tiny vanilla seeds dotted throughout the honey?  It is so gorgeous and the red color is so vibrant!  Also, as the Don Victor honey cooks up, it smells so amazing.  It is a raw, filtered honey, not heated or processed in any other way, a perfect base for infusing the raspberry and vanilla flavors into.  Try not to sneak too many tastes or else you will end up short by a gift!

I love making these gifts for just about everyone.  Also, before you give it to the intended recipient, feel free to add a cute label or a bow to finish it off!  These tiny quilted 4-oz. jars are pretty enough on their own, so I plan to add a "Made in Diane's Kitchen" sticker to the lid along with pink baker's twine.  Simple, quick, and thoughtful!

Which gifts are you going to DIY this holiday season?