A beloved and timeless beverage, from its floral aroma and light, citrusy flavour, elderflower cordial is a perfect summer drink that can be enjoyed on its own, mixed into cocktails, sparkling water or drizzled over desserts
Ingredients
- 10 fronds of elderflowers
- 1 lemon
- 1 litre cold water
- 1 kg caster sugar
- 50 g citric acid
Instructions
- Begin by foraging the elderflowers. I find it best to gather them on a dry, warm and sunny morning for best results, as their aromas can fade in the afternoon, also try and find elderflower trees that are not low down on the ground or close to a busy road. Snip off the flower heads with as little stalk as possible so the plant is not damaged, gently shake the flower heads to remove any insects. Do not run under the tap as this will wash the natural yeasts off.
- Slowly bring 1 litre of water and 1kg sugar to the boil in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Pare the skin of the lemon and slice into circles and place in the saucepan. Add in the elderflowers and the citric acid. Turn off the heat and allow it to infuse in the pot for 24 hours.
- The next day, sterilise bottles with boiling water. Place a muslin cloth or fine cotton tea towel in a colander and pour the cordial mix through. All the sediment remains in the colander and the cordial will sit in a bowl. Transfer to a jug or using a funnel pour the cordial in to the sterilised bottles.
- Store in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.Mix it with sparkling water to create elderflower pressé, or add to wine, prosecco or champagne to start a party in style, or why not try my stunning Elderflower Hugo Spritz cocktail, or if you are in the mood for baking try my zesty creamy Summer Lime and Elderflower Pie.
Notes
The absolute love, pride and satisfaction from foraging these beautiful elderflowers to making this beautiful fragrant sweet syrup that you can store in the fridge for weeks is incredible!
