Went for a walk along the ‘old road’ and picked a big bag of Elderflower and started a batch of elderflower cordial, It’ll be ready (hopefully ) tomorrow I’ll just have to wait and see what happens
http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/516164
Prep time:
- 20 mins, plus overnight infusing
- Cook time:
- 5 mins
- Serves:
- Makes 1.5 litres
Sophie Grigson captures the essence of warm English summers with this refreshing and versatile elderflower cordial
Tips and suggestions
- Cooks Tips…
- To serve Elderflower Cordial: Dilute the elderflower cordial to taste with fizzy water, and serve over ice with a slice or two of lemon, or a sprig of mint floating on top.
For something a touch more sprightly, add a shot of gin or vodka and a lemon slice, or add it to white wine and sparkling water to make an elderflower spritzer.
Elderflower cordial is also brilliant in recipes such as gooseberry fool, and in vinaigrette – mix with wine vinegar, a touch of mustard, salt, pepper and a light olive oil (surprisingly good with a courgette, lettuce and broad bean salad). You might even try adding it to a marinade for chicken breasts. Try it in sorbets, or ice-creams, or just spooned over scoops of vanilla ice-cream, or use it to sweeten and flavour the fruit for a crumble.
Ingredients
- 20 heads of elderflower
- 1.8kg granulated sugar, or caster sugar
- 1.2 litres water
- 2 unwaxed Lemons
- 75g citric acid
Method
1. Shake the elderflowers to expel any lingering insects, and then place in a large bowl.
2. Put the sugar into a pan with the water and bring up to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. While the sugar syrup is heating, pare the zest of the lemons off in wide strips and toss into the bowl with the elderflowers. Slice the lemons, discard the ends, and add the slices to the bowl. Pour over the boiling syrup, and then stir in the citric acid. Cover with a cloth and then leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
4. Next day, strain the cordial through a sieve lined with muslin (or a new j-cloth rinsed out in boiling water), and pour into thoroughly cleaned glass or plastic bottles. Screw on the lids and pop into the cupboard ready to use.
Sounds interesting! I’ve never had it before. What is the flavor like?
Hiya Avis,
Elderflower is a very unusual taste, it not achololic (unless you have yeast or an unclean bottle , then it might ferment to much and explosed).
It very sweet , depending on the amount of sugar /citric acid you uses !!
I like to have it with diluted in to ice water or tonic water and ice cubes it very much a refreshing summer sitting in the sun by the pool drink (I don’t have a pool or paddling pool but like the dream,lol).