Foods like hot honey have been available at markets for almost a decade, but in recent years, other swicy foods are gaining popularity.
Swicy is a blend of the words sweet and spicy. The combination of heat and sweetness can create a complex flavor profile that many of your customers may enjoy.
Local fruit, honey or maple syrup can provide the sweet flavor in your products. The sugar in these foods can reduce the tingling sensation you may experience when eating spicy foods.
The spice (or heat) ingredients can be fresh or dried peppers. You can find many different types of peppers from local farmers and markets.
Read The Ultimate Guide to Hot Peppers by the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts for more information on pepper varieties and their heat levels.
Remember food safety when experimenting with recipes
Use these tips and substitutions as part of your food safety practices when preparing swicy cottage food products.
Fruit chutneys and relishes
Fresh peppers are a low-acid ingredient. The natural pH of peppers can range from 4.65 to 5.45. Combining fresh, sweet fruit with spicy peppers and an acidic component can make for delicious spreads to accompany charcuterie boards (remember – charcuterie boards are not an allowable cottage food).
Follow research-based recipes and procedures to ensure proper acidification and processing.
Jams and jellies
Preserved fruit spreads are made safe by controlling the pH, water activity, and proper processing. A swicy jelly recipe will need to contain sugar, vinegar, commercial pectin and peppers.
Some recipes also contain added fruit, such as the BallⓇ recipe for Habanero-Apricot Jelly. Follow research-based recipes and procedures to ensure the correct ratio of ingredients and processing.
Dried whole peppers
You can safely add one small, whole dried pepper to a pickled fruit recipe without impacting the processing time. Adding more than this can impact the heat transfer during canning.
Dried, whole peppers can be useful for infusing swicy simple syrups or honey. Remove the pepper before bottling.
Dried ground peppers
You can safely add a small amount, about one teaspoon or less, of dried ground peppers to canned fruit, fruit sauces, chutneys, relishes and preserved fruit spread recipes. There is no impact on the processing time.
Baked goods
Always add fresh peppers or dried spices to batters before or during the cooking (baking) process to ensure a proper heat treatment.
Snack foods
When making swicy nuts or seeds, coat with the sweet and spicy mixture and then bake. This will provide a proper heat treatment and allow the seasoning mixture to stick to the food.
PHOTO: Bowl with hot honey, dry chili peppers, garlic and fried chicken wings on table (Adobe Stock │ #440769365 – Pixel-Shot)
