Guku Hot Honey (Quick Warm Steep)
A fast, warm-steep version using only chili flakes — done in under 2 hours. Gentle heat speeds up extraction without cooking the honey.
Ingredients
1000 grams Guku Honey Australian raw honey
6 tablespoons crushed chili flakes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
0.5 teaspoons fine salt
- 4 250ml sterilized glass jar
How to Make Honey Milk Tea
Sterilize jars: Wash 4 250ml sterilized glass jars in hot soapy water, then sterilize by boiling for 10 minutes or running through a hot dishwasher cycle. Dry completely before use.
Warm the honey gently: Pour 1000 grams Guku Honey Australian raw honey into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thins and reaches about 50-55°C — warm to the touch but not hot enough to sting. Do not let it simmer or boil.
Add chili and acid: Remove from heat. Stir in 6 tablespoons crushed chili flakes, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 0.3 teaspoons fine salt until evenly combined.
Steep warm: Cover the pot and let it sit somewhere warm (near the stove or in a switched-off oven with the light on) to hold residual warmth. This is where most of the flavor extraction happens.
Taste and adjust: Taste at the 1 hour mark. If you want more heat, let it continue steeping up to 90 minutes, checking every 15-20 minutes.
Strain (optional): For a clearer honey, strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter while still warm (it flows easier warm than cold). For a rustic look, skip straining.
Bottle and seal: Funnel the warm honey into the sterilized 4 250ml sterilized glass jars, seal tightly, and label with batch date. Store in a cool, dark place
Don't Forget These 3 Important things!
Keeping the honey at a gentle warm temperature (around 50-55°C, just above hand-hot) rather than a simmer speeds up extraction dramatically compared to a cold infusion, while staying below the range where raw honey typically starts losing its raw-honey character.
Total active time is under 20 minutes; the rest is passive steeping. Because flakes are used instead of whole dried chilies, expect a naturally flecked, slightly cloudy honey rather than glass-clear — strain through muslin or a coffee filter if you want it clearer.
Do not add fresh garlic or fresh herbs.