Our elderflowers are just starting to bud up, the first tiny star-like flowers beginning to burst open. It won’t be long before we can harvest basketfuls to turn into cordial. We love to add a little to a gin and tonic, or create an Elderflower Royale with a shot of cordial in a flute of local Crémant de Loire. Or it’s lovely just with some sparkling water and plenty of ice. It’s easy and we make big batches that we bag up and freeze so that it lasts all summer long.
ingredients
2.5kg caster sugar
3 lemons or limes or at a push oranges (or a mixture)
20 Elderflower heads – this is really the minimum, its the more the merrier really
85g citric acid
Method
In a large saucepan mix together the sugar with 1.5 litres of water. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and then bring to a boil. Once it reaches boiling point turn off the pan and set aside.
Pick over your elderflower heads, trim the stems and remove any wildlife (see note below about picking elderflowers). Pare the zest from the citrus fruits with a potato peeler and then cut the remaining fruits into rounds.
Pour the slightly cooled syrup into a large bowl and add the elderflower heads, zest, fruit and citric acid. Cover the bowl and leave to infuse for 24hrs.
Drape a colander with a muslin cloth or a clean tea towel and strain the syrup. I pull out the citrus slices and freeze them on a tray, then when frozen, I bag them up to pop, still frozen, into glasses of water or gin and tonics on hot days. You can decant your syrup into steralised bottles and keep in the fridge for a good while, or bag it up like we do in 500ml portions (put your freezer bag inside and measuring jug to make it easier to fill) and just pull out a bag when you need it. It defrosts quickly and is lovely part frozen and slightly slushy.
a note on picking elderflowers
Only pick elderflowers on the day you plan to make cordial – they don’t keep well. You’ll know when you’ve found the right plant because the flowers smell of elderflower cordial. Pick them early in the morning, before the day gets too hot and only pick heads that are in full frothy flower – avoid any that have started to go over. Its best to avoid picking from hedgerows near to busy roads, so you may need to wander into the countryside a little bit to find clean air for your harvest. I pick ours from our woods so I don’t tend to wash my flowers because I know where they’ve come from. If you think yours might be a little dusty or you’re picking near a road, fill a sink with cold water and gently give each flower head a swish.
