Pepe Saya's Butter Balls with Whispers of Vanilla in Honey

Pepe Saya's Butter Balls 
with Whispers of Vanilla in Honey

For those (few) of you who don't already know him, I would like to introduce Pierre Issa, a.k.a. Pepe Saya. Pierre is the 36 year old father of two, married to his teenage sweetheart Mrs. Pepe; and, of course, maker of the amazing Pepe Saya cultured butter and lover of all things made from butter. 

Pepe hates the use of preservatives in food and says he does not appreciate technology when it comes to food, but understands we need to feed millions. If only we could do it some other way, he says. Pepe's love for food stems from his parents, who both love food! He says he is surrounded by loving people at work and home, and believes that life is a journey that should be enjoyed and shared with others. In this delicious Good Things guest post, Pepe shares a sublime recipe created from an idea born on Twitter. 'It's a recipe with awesome provenance involving three producers, Lizzy', Pepe wrote me, excitedly. Pepe's recipe combines award winning butter rolled into balls, dipped in award winning vanilla, then preserved in award winning honey. Awesome! Over to you, Pepe...

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Pierra Issa aka Pepe Saya, maker of Pepe Saya Butter

Pepe Saya award winning cultured butter

Pepe Saya's sublime Butter Balls with Whispers of Vanilla in Honey

Pepe says...

'When you receive a tweet that reads "@Honey_Delight @Sayaetsusman fancy butter hey? Ever made honey butter or doesn't that work?" followed by a tweet that reads "@DairyGoodness @sayaetsusman I said hello :)", you know you have to take notice! 

I haven't met Carmen @Honey_Delight, but I did enjoy reading her guest post featuring Honey ANZAC Biscuits on Lizzy's pages recently, so I know of her and I know that Honey Delight honey won champion category at the Sydney Show! So, naturally, my Twitter response was "@Honey_Delight @DairyGoodness @1910bc @SRKitchen Hello, Hello - Honey butter - could give it a try!" and things were left at that, with the promise that Carmen would soon send me some of her honey.

Later that day, I met Jennifer Boggiss, proud owner of Heilala Vanilla and had a lesson all about Vanilla. AWESOME STUFF! As I sat drinking coffee and listening to Jennifer talk passionately about vanilla bean, I thought "imagine vanilla with butter dipped in honey... Carmen's Honey Delight". And all these questions started popping into my head. Should I make this with salted or unsalted butter? Refrigerated or not? Vanilla on the butter or in the honey? How to package this honey butter? And then it struck me. Labne balls (Yoghurt balls in olive oil) or (Fetta in oil)... why not roll some butter balls in Heilala Vanilla and preserve them in honey, Carmen's honey.

I did not sleep that night, thinking of Vanilla beans, Honey and Butter! I could barely wait to get into the kitchen. First thing in the morning I phoned my friend, Ester (@DairyGoodness): "Hello, Ester, I need some of Carmen's Honey, do you have any?", I asked. "I only have one jar that Carmen gave to me", Ester replied. "Well I need it, please darling!" Later that day, Ester arrived with the honey and I got started on my creation immediately. Here is my recipe for Butter Balls with Whispers of Vanilla in Honey.

PEPE SAYA'S BUTTER BALLS WITH WHISPERS OF VANILLA IN HONEY
2 x 200gm Pepe Saya salted cultured butter 
500ml Stringy Bark from Honey Delight*
One pod of Heilala Vanilla*

Use salted butter, this gives a great contrast of flavour with the sweetness of the butter. Hand roll 10gm butter balls. Cut and scrape the Heilala Vanilla bean onto baking paper. Roll the butter ball in the vanilla to coat the outside.

Place the butter balls onto a tray and cool them in the refrigerator to 4 degrees C. Meanwhile, sterilise the jar/s. Then fill the jar with the vanilla butter balls. Pour the honey into the jar and then cool the honey to 4 degrees C, this so it will not melt the butter. This quantity makes 40 balls, each jar should fit 14-16 balls depending on jar size.

* I use Heilala Vanilla and Honey Delight honey because of the provenance of the products. I know where they come from and I know of their quality.

To serve, after making your porridge, place one 10gm honey vanilla butter ball on top of your hot porridge and let it melt, or mix it through. Another delicious way to serve is to place a honey vanilla butter ball onto a hot crumpet, fresh bread or toast. Delicious! The flavour is quite amazing, even if I do say so.

In conclusion to this experiment, I do appreciate that some of you reading this may think that it would be easier to simply mix the butter and honey together! I don't recommend this, as the honey will weep, you see. 

I do hope you have enjoyed reading this guest post and I hope you will try my recipe. Thank you to Lizzy for giving me the opportunity to share my love of good things with you.'

- Pepe

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The process in pictures...

The finished product...

Pepe Saya's Butter Balls with Whispers of Vanilla in Honey

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A note on Heilala Vanilla

Jennifer Boggiss and Latu family members at the Heilala Vanilla Plantation in Tonga

Heilala Vanilla (pronounced: Hey-la-la) is the partnership of two Pacific families united by a passion for the world’s most sensual and exotic flavour and aroma. Behind this most intoxicating vanilla lies quite a story. What started as a gift of land from a Tongan chief, turned into an aid project and now a flourishing business. The New Zealand family was lured by the unspoiled beauty of the Vava’u Islands in the Kingdom of Tonga and the beautiful people. This was combined with horticultural and research facilities in Tauranga New Zealand. Heilala Vanilla produce and market a range of 100% Pure Vanilla Products; Beans, Extract, Paste, Sugar and Syrup throughout New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and USA. For more information, visit www.heilalavanilla.com

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A note on Honey Delight

Read about Carmen, a third generation beekeeper, at her Good Things guest post here and try her Honey ANZAC biscuit recipe.

Honey Delight Honey

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Lizzy says...

Thanks so much Pepe for taking the time to develop the recipe and share your passion with us. And thanks also to Jennifer from Heilala Vanilla and Carmen Pearce from Honey Delight. Three fine food producers (award winning ones at that!) = Salt of the Earth!

Have you tried Pepe Saya Butter, Heilala Vanilla or Honey Delight honey?