Honeycomb is up there with some of nature’s finest creations.
If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some, or you’re a beekeeper with some to spare, you’re in the perfect spot.
We’ve got all sorts of delicious and creative ideas for you!
Let’s dive straight into our tips with some mouth-watering uses for honeycomb.
Culinary Delights
First, if you didn’t already know, honeycomb is perfectly safe to eat.
Better yet, it’s mouthwatering, melting on your tongue with a delicious, unique taste.
Here are some of our absolute fave recipes to wow your taste buds and your friends.
Honeycomb cheese board
Cheese has been paired with chunks of honeycomb for years now, from the ancient Greeks to your next dinner party.
Elevate your cheese board by adding a chunk of honeycomb.
The waxy texture and rich flavour pair perfectly with cheeses from Brie to Gouda.
Breakfast topping
Spread honeycomb over bread, toast, pancakes, or waffles.
The comb adds a delightful crunch while the honey melts into a sweet syrup, giving you two delicious layers of taste and texture.
Just chop a block of beeswax into small chunks and add it to your breakfast for a sweet start to your day.
Smoothies
Blend a small piece of honeycomb into your morning smoothie for a natural sweetener that also provides a bit of crunchy texture.
It pairs perfectly with a banana, milk and some natural peanut butter for a delicious and relatively healthy treat.
Coffee lovers can try adding a shot of espresso into the mix for a morning wake-up boost.
Salad
Honeycomb in a salad, I hear you say!
Yep, it’s damn right decadent, and we’re more than happy to shout about it.
Pair it with some finely sliced pear and pomegranate, and dress some leaves for a real showstopper at dinner or lunch.
*Extra reading – Find out all the health benefits of eating honeycomb in our helpful guide.
Health and Wellness
Now we know how to use it alongside other ingredients, let’s point towards some different ingenious ways to use honeycomb for your health.
Sore throat remedy
Chew on a small piece of honeycomb to soothe a sore throat or cough.
The natural enzymes in the honey can help relieve irritation and reduce that horrible scratchy feeling in the back of your throat.
Skincare
Melt down the beeswax from the honeycomb and mix it with essential oils to create a natural moisturizer for your personal care regime.
Yep, this stuff is like nature’s wonder ointment. You can add it to balms and salves to stop dry skin.
You can even add it to sunburns and rashes to prevent dry skin from developing in the area afterwards.
And the beauty industry has caught on. You can regularly find honeycomb extracts and blends in all sorts of off-the-shelf cosmetics.
Wound care
Moving on from personal care products, you can use honeycomb to treat
Apply a small piece of honeycomb over a minor cut or scrape. The antibacterial properties of honey can help speed up the healing process.
You can even treat minor burns by applying some liquid honey under the dressing, which soothes the skin and promotes healing.
Crafty Creations
Moving on from skin-smoothing lotions, beeswax and honeycomb have all sorts of arts and crafts possibilities.
*Additional reading – Discover why bees make honeycombs in a hexagonal shape, one of nature’s most impressive feats of architecture.
Candle making
Use the beeswax from the honeycomb to make your candles.
Start by melting beeswax pellets or chunks, ensuring the wax reaches a liquid consistency.
Once melted, pour the wax into a mould or jar with a pre-positioned wick, let it cool, and get a homemade candle!
Better yet, beeswax candles burn longer than traditional paraffin alternatives.
Homemade soap
Creating honeycomb soap is a perfect way to blend excess natural ingredients with creativity.
First, melt a soap base of your choice using a double boiler or microwave.
Stir in honey and small pieces of honeycomb, mixing until well incorporated.
Pour the mixture into a soap mould, let it set until firm, and then pop it out to reveal your honeycomb soap!
Furniture polish
If you want a golden, shiny look on your wooden furniture, this homemade polish will be right up your street.
Start by melting the pure beeswax found in the honeycomb (I do this by placing the wax in a sealed jar and then putting it into a pot of boiling water).
Once melted, add twice as much turpentine as you have wax liquid and mix thoroughly.
Then, place it into a bowl of cold water until it cools into a solid polish you can use repeatedly.
For the Garden
Last but not least, if you’ve run out of ideas, you can always pass them on to the critters in your garden.
Compost
Honeycomb is 100% compostable, and all those lovely nutrients can make their way back into nature’s lifecycle.
If you’ve exhausted your options, you can pass on all the goodness to the flowers and fauna in your garden.
Add small chunks (it will break down quicker) to your compost pile to enrich the soil.
Final Thoughts
Honeycomb is a versatile material that goes beyond its role in the hive. From culinary innovations to health remedies and crafty creations, the possibilities are as endless as they are exciting.
So the next time you come across this natural wonder, you’ll know just what to do.
My thoughts: While honeycomb is a fantastic resource, it’s essential to source it responsibly. Always ensure that you’re not depriving bees of their hard-earned produce. Sustainability should be at the forefront of any honeycomb utilization.
So go ahead, let your creativity buzz like a bee and explore the sweet potential of honeycomb!
