Elderflower cordial, fresh from the hedgerow, has become a real favourite around here.
Here's how we do it.
As soon as you come across an elderflower tree down a country lane, demand that your husband stop the car. Immediately, grab any bag hanging around in the back, jump out and pick as many heads of blooms as you can. Avoiding the stinging nettles and brambles too. (This is tricky, but after several years of practice, it can be achieved.)
Repeat whenever possible. Generally around the end of April.
1. Take about 20/30 blooms of elderflower, place them in a very large bowl/saucepan/washing up bowl.
2. Add 4 sliced up lemons, a bag of sugar, a sachet of citric acid (available at most chemists.)
(I bought 10 boxes this year in our local village chemist. They looked very worried and interrogated me as to my intentions. I think they thought I was going to make some kind of bomb! Had to reassure them it was simply cordial season!)
3. Cover the whole lot with boiling water, stir it about a bit so the sugar dissolves.
4. Cover with a tea towel and leave overnight.
5.Next day, strain it all through a clean tea towel into another bowl/jug.
Elderflower cordial, good to go!
I make loads, fill up empty plastic water bottle and freeze them.
Keep a bottle full, chilling in the fridge. Dilute with water, lemonade, tonic water... Whatever your taste buds demand.
I made so much this year we end up having elderflower cordial in almost everything... Great in a rhubarb crumble, fruit salad, smoothies, over ice cream, in ice cream or as a sorbet, in cake icing...
How do you use yours?!
Here's how we do it.
As soon as you come across an elderflower tree down a country lane, demand that your husband stop the car. Immediately, grab any bag hanging around in the back, jump out and pick as many heads of blooms as you can. Avoiding the stinging nettles and brambles too. (This is tricky, but after several years of practice, it can be achieved.)
Repeat whenever possible. Generally around the end of April.
1. Take about 20/30 blooms of elderflower, place them in a very large bowl/saucepan/washing up bowl.
2. Add 4 sliced up lemons, a bag of sugar, a sachet of citric acid (available at most chemists.)
(I bought 10 boxes this year in our local village chemist. They looked very worried and interrogated me as to my intentions. I think they thought I was going to make some kind of bomb! Had to reassure them it was simply cordial season!)
3. Cover the whole lot with boiling water, stir it about a bit so the sugar dissolves.
4. Cover with a tea towel and leave overnight.
5.Next day, strain it all through a clean tea towel into another bowl/jug.
Elderflower cordial, good to go!
I make loads, fill up empty plastic water bottle and freeze them.
Keep a bottle full, chilling in the fridge. Dilute with water, lemonade, tonic water... Whatever your taste buds demand.
I made so much this year we end up having elderflower cordial in almost everything... Great in a rhubarb crumble, fruit salad, smoothies, over ice cream, in ice cream or as a sorbet, in cake icing...
How do you use yours?!
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