In winter I’ve traditionally fed the bees a simple diet - solidified bags of sugar. These are made by taking a 1kg sugar bag (paper ones), and submerging the bag in a bucket of cold water for about 20-30 seconds. Once taken out and left in a warm place to dry, they solidify like sugar cubes, and can be placed directly on top of the frames with a few tears in the bag to allow the bees access.
However, this year I’ve managed to end up with a few of these bags, half-eaten from previous years, and some loose sugar and other scraps. Rather than re-use these bags (which are covered in bits of wax and propolis and dirt) I wanted to turn these into Fondant Candy - which is as easy to use as the sugar bags, but has been thoroughly boiled - just in case there’s any bugs I don’t want on those bags.
There are hundreds of recipes available for fondant or candy, but I always prefer the simplest one… after all there’s no need to make it complicated! Some recipes involve using vinegar or cream of tartar in order to invert the sugar (which makes it remain more soft and pliable) but there have been links between these additives and toxicity for bees, so I avoid them
Fondant Candy Recipe
5 kg White Sugar
1 litre Water
Boil the water and add the sugar and dissolve. Heat to 114 degrees C (Soft Ball) while stirring regularly, then take off the heat, and cool without stirring. It should form white streaks as it begins to set. Once at 70 degrees C, stir well to form a creamy mix (you can use an electric blender for this if you like). Spoon/pour into trays (I use old takeaway trays or boxes) but any mould will do, and leave to cool completely.
This fondant will have a water content of around 20%, which is fairly close to that of honey, which is usually 18-19%. Once made, it will store pretty much indefinitely.
To use, simply invert over the top bars of the frames and raise the cover board slightly with an eke or a cut-down super to prevent creating too much airspace above the bees, which could chill them.
