How to Make Elderflower Cordial
You may not recognise elderflower from the name, but you will have seen its lacy blooms sprawling among hedgerows for the last week or so. Pretty, feminine elderflowers are said to herald the arrival of summer. The delicate white flowers are followed by glossy, dark berries - which are supposed to signal the end of summer. Both the flower and the fruit are undergoing a renaissance in the UK - the first as the main ingredient in any elderflower cordial recipe, one of the most elegant and refreshing summer drinks you could ever taste. At the end of the season the berries are used to make a richer, darker cordial.
A well as cordial, elderflowers can be used to make jams and add a wonderful extra dimension of flavour to cooked fruit dishes. Try adding elderflower to a gooseberry fool or a key lime pie!
How great is elderflower cordial?
Not only are elderflowers pretty and delicately flavoursome, the plant boasts lots of healing properties. Its vitamin C content has seen it used as a remedy for coughs and colds, rheumatism and even hayfever and asthma over the years . Victorian domestic goddess Mrs Beeton used to add half a pint of brandy to her elderflower wine to make a truly healing brew! Elderflowers have also been used as insect repellents and to summon fairies... You will still find an elder growing outside cottages on the Isle of Man to guard against witches.
Basic elderflower cordial recipe
You can easily buy the cordial in the shops these days, but it's no match for the freshness of the home made version. Pick fresh elderflowers on the morning of a warm, dry day, avoiding blooms which are turning brown and shake the flower heads before use to displace any insects.
You will need:
20 elderflower heads
1.8kg caster sugar
1.2 litres water
2 unwaxed lemon
75g citric acid
Gently heat the sugar and water together in a pan until the sugar is dissolved, to make a sugar syrup. Meanwhile pare the lemon zest into wide strips and slice the lemons and add to a bowl with the elderflowers. Bring the sugar syrup to the boil and pour into the bowl with the elderflowers and lemons, then add the citric acid and stir well. Cover the bowl and leave to infuse for 24 hours at room temperature.
The following day, strain the mixture through a piece of muslin and use a funnel to fill clean, sterilised bottles with the cordial. Serve diluted with still or fizzy water over plenty of ice.
