Homemade Elderflower Cordial
Elderflower cordial is a family favourite, I mean is there a better beverage than a chilled glass of fragrant Elderflower with fizzy water! We have become hooked to the cordial making tradition, venturing out to find the tiny white flowers and seasonal scent of Elderflowers and gathering a bunch to bring home. Oh and it is freezer friendly so we make enough to last all year!
Equipment
- 1 Preserving Saucepan You can also use the largest pan you have!
- 1 Measuring Scales
- 3 Medium Sized Bowls This recipe is enough to fill two to three medium sized bowls
- 1 Sift
- 1 Basic Kitchen Utensils
- 1 Measuring Jug
- 1 Tea Towel or Muslin Cloth If you have both great! If not a tea towel works fine for all steps!
- 1 Ice Cube Tray If you are storing in the freezer, ice cube trays are great!
- Glass or Plastic Bottles Sterilized glass bottles or plastic bottles work well for storing cordial. Only freeze in plastic bottles.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 Kg Granulated Sugar
- 2 Lemons
- 20-25 Elderflower floral Heads
- 85 g Citric Acid
Instructions
- To start, measure and put the sugar into a large saucepan
- Add to the saucepan 1.5 litres of water and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Once all the sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat to bring the syrup to boiling and then turn off the heat.
- Using a peeler, pare the zest of both the lemons and then use a knife to slice them.
- Fill up a bowl with cold water (a clean washing up bowl works well!!) and use scissors to chop the steams off each Elderflower head, before adding the floral heads to the water.
- Swish the heads around in the water to wash off any dirt and then place on a dry surface, shaking off any excess water.
- Once all the Elderflowers are washed, place them into the saucepan of syrup, along with the sliced lemons, zest and citric acid.
- Stir well, before covering the pan with a tea towel or muslin and leave for 24hrs.
- After 24hrs, place a sift over a large bowl and line the sift with a muslin cloth (Note: a tea towel also works, however I find the thinner material of a muslin makes it quicker to drain through the liquid!).
- Use a ladle to transfer the syrup into the lined sift and allow the syrup to drain through into the bowl. You may need to give the muslin cloth a squeeze periodically to drain all the liquid!
- Once all the liquid has drained into the bowls, discard of the lemon/Elderflowers in the muslin. Then either refrigerate the cordial in bowls, transfer to bottles or freeze in ice cube trays or plastic bottles.
- Now sit back, relax in the sunshine with family and friends and enjoy a chilled glass of Elderflower! Cheers!
Notes
Elderflower Cordial can be stored in the fridge for up to six weeks, and in the freezer for one year!
We hope you love this recipe as much as we do!