Homemade Elderflower Cordial

 

 

Welcome to Artisan Refreshments 

 

 

 

 

 

 Hello again,

 

  I noticed yesterday the elderflower tree in my garden is getting ready to produce flowers, oh great I thought Homemade Elderflower Cordial.  If you have the time to make it You can't beat making your own!

 The elderflower season runs from late May to early July depending on where in the UK you live and is common everywhere except the far north of Scotland, The parent plant, elder, or ‘Sambucus nigra frequenting hedgerows, waste ground and woodland fringes. The flat-topped sprays of creamy white flowers have a heady fragrance; distinctly musky and sweet.



 The culinary uses are many and varied, and in my experience, never less than delicious. Elderflower cordial is probably the best known, since it is made commercially and is available year-round. It’s also easy to make yourself at home.


  Whatever you decide to make, the process of gathering the flower heads is the same. Choose a dry sunny day, sever the stalks carefully with scissors and keep the flowers upright so that pollen, the source of much of that unique flavour and fragrance, will not be lost. Place carefully in a bag and have a good pick through at home to remove any bugs rather than washing them. Trim as much stalk off as you can before use.

• 2½ kg white sugar caster or granulated
• 2 unwaxed lemons
•  20 fresh elderflower heads trim stalks
  
• 85g citric acid (from chemists) optional, you don't need to use this

 Put the sugar and 1.5 litres/2¾ pints water into the largest saucepan you have. Gently heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Give it a stir every now and again. Pare the zest from the lemons using a potato peeler, then slice the lemons into rounds.

Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the pan of syrup to the boil, then turn off the heat. Fill a washing up bowl with cold water. Give the flowers a gentle swish around to loosen any dirt or bugs. Lift flowers out, gently shake and transfer to the syrup along with the lemons, zest and citric acid, then stir well. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 24 hrs. 

Line a colander with a clean tea towel, then sit it over a large bowl or pan. Ladle in the syrup – let it drip slowly through. Discard the bits left in the towel. Use a funnel and a ladle to fill sterilised bottles (run glass bottles through the dishwasher, or wash well with soapy water. Rinse, then leave to dry in a low oven). The cordial is ready to drink straight away and will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. Or freeze it in plastic containers or ice cube trays and defrost as needed.

Until the Elderflowers are ready you may be interested in trying these well known brands;

  Mr Fitzpatrick's Vintage Elderflower Cordial

 

 






 Kingsdown's  Fruit Presse Elderflower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Have fun making your own cordials!