Elderflower Cordial
Sally and I have just made some elderflower cordial with the first of the elderflowers to come out here. We made a batch last year, but it was gone in under a month so this time we've made a triple batch - for starters.
Ingredients
- 2kg Sugar (fairtrade, or course)
- 2 pints Water
- 20 Elderflower Heads
- 80g Citric Acid
- 2 Lemons
Bring the water to the boil, and add the sugar to it. Stir until it is fully disolved.
Grate the lemon rind, and slice the lemons. Add the lemons, rind and citric acid to the sugar solution.
Shake the elderflower heads, to get rid of insects, and place them in a large bowl or sterile bucket. Since we are expecting a baby, Sally and I went to mothercare and bought a nappy bucket to do this with. Next year, I think we won't be using the same bucket...
Pour the sugar solution and lemons over the elderflowers. Cover and leave to steep. We left ours for a week, although you could leave it less time if you needed.
Seive the cordial, to remove solids, then strain through muslin cloth or a coffee filter to clarify. Bottle in sterile bottles.
Dilute in ice cold water for an authentic english taste of the summer. A lot of this batch is going to be served at my Mum's wedding this summer.
Posted by john at June 6, 2005 12:07 AM
I have an elder bush in my garden and often try to make elderflower cordial. However, the flowerheads always contain lots of little long microscopic wasp-like insects hidden in the blossoms. They are impossible to get rid of by shaking and only turn up as dead bodies floating in the cordial after soaking, which quite puts me off & I generally throw the lot out !!
Does anyone have a solution to this problem ? ?
Mary
Posted by: Mary at June 7, 2005 09:59 PM