Coffees, Teas & Aromatics
Orange Blossom Honey in gelato
Orange blossom honey is a pale, citrus-scented monofloral honey from Citrus spp. bloom. In gelato it acts as a highly anti-freezing invert-sugar sweetener that adds floral aroma, softness, and body.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 82.5% |
| Water | 17.5% |
| Sugars | 80% |
| Fat | 0% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 0.3% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 107 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 157 |
Typical use: 3-8% of the total mix (as a partial replacement for sucrose)
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Honey is essentially inverted sugar: near-equal fructose and glucose give it a very high anti-freezing power (PAC around 157, versus 100 for sucrose) and a moderately elevated sweetening power (POD around 107). Replacing part of the sucrose with orange blossom honey therefore lowers the serving temperature and yields a softer, more scoopable, chewier texture while contributing its distinctive floral-citrus aroma. Because its PAC is high, use it as a partial sugar swap only, and reduce other high-PAC sugars (dextrose, invert) to keep the mix from becoming too soft. Its flavor is assertive, so dose to taste.
Origin & background
Orange blossom honey is produced where bees forage citrus groves, historically in the Mediterranean (Spain, Italy) and Florida. European honey regulations grant citrus honeys an exception to the general sucrose limit, allowing up to about 10% sucrose, because Citrus nectar is naturally higher in sucrose than most floral sources (Serrano et al., Food Chemistry).
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/169640/nutrients (USDA FoodData Central, Honey)
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814604000780 (Serrano et al., Chemical and physical parameters of Andalusian honey: classification of Citrus and Eucalyptus honeys, Food Chemistry)
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51485289 (Volatile fraction composition and physicochemical parameters for differentiation of lemon and orange blossom honey)