Elderflower Cordial Recipe

This recipe makes just over 3pts / 1.8ltrs of Elderflower Cordial.

Before picking your elderflower, make sure you have food-grade Citric Acid (this can be found online or from a local refill shop), a muslin cloth / sieve and plenty of glass bottles.

Tips

• Pick the elderflowers in the morning, before insects harvest their pollen

• Make sure the flowers you pick are open and not browning

• Avoid picking the flowers in the rain or after it has rained, and don’t wash them before use as this will wash away their natural yeasts

• If the flowers smell distinctly of urine they are past their best - find floral and fresher smelling flowers

• Chop off the thick green stalks before using

• Pick flowers that are high off the ground, away from passing foxes or dogs

• Use as quickly as possible after harvesting

Ingredients

1.4kg of Granulated Sugar

940ml of Water

40g of Citric Acid (optional but recommended)

25-30 Elderflower Heads - the more you use, the stronger the flavour

1 Unwaxed Lemon - cut into slices

Method

1. In a large saucepan, melt together the water, sugar and citric acid (if using) on a low heat, don’t rush this as if the sugar warms too quickly it will caramelise and affect the final taste.

2. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

3. Whilst the syrup is cooling down, brush off any insects from the elderflower heads - don’t wash them otherwise you’ll wash off the natural yeasts and pollen. Trim away and discard as much of the thick green stems as you can.

4. Sterilise a large glass bottle by washing with soapy water and oven baking at 130º for 10 -15 minutes.

5. Pop the flowers and lemon slices into the glass bottle and pour the cooled syrup over them - make sure the flowers are submerged in the syrup.

6. Close the bottle and pop in the fridge for two days (48 hours).

Two days later

1. Sterilise several glass bottles.

2. Sieve the cordial through a fine-meshed sieve, cheesecloth or muslin cloth into glass bottles (we used Kilner clip-top bottles).

3. Keep in the fridge and enjoy - if citric acid was used, the cordial should last for up to a year.