Elderberry Cordial Food

ELDERBERRY SYRUP

Steps:

• Pick the heads of plump elderberries on a sunny day and use a fork to strip the berries from their stalks. Wash the berries if you like, but this isn't necessary as they are going to be strained.
• Tip the berries into a saucepan and cover with about 1cm water. Add any extras like ginger or cloves, if you like. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 15-20 mins until the berries have softened into a liquid. Leave to cool slightly.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and measure how much liquid you have. For every 500ml of liquid, you'll need 400g of sugar. Tip the sugar and liquid back into the cleaned saucepan with the lemon juice. Bring up to a simmer and gently bubble for about 10 mins until all the sugar has dissolved. Leave the syrup to cool completely and bottle or freeze. Will keep for three months in the fridge or frozen for up to a year. It can be diluted with hot or cold water to drink, used in desserts or drizzled over ice cream.

HOMEMADE ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL

Steps:

• Put the sugar and 1.5 litres/2¾ pints water into the largest saucepan you have. Gently heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Give it a stir every now and again. Pare the zest from the lemons using a potato peeler, then slice the lemons into rounds.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the pan of syrup to the boil, then turn off the heat. Fill a washing up bowl with cold water. Give the flowers a gentle swish around to loosen any dirt or bugs. Lift flowers out, gently shake and transfer to the syrup along with the lemons, zest and citric acid, then stir well. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 24 hrs.
• Line a colander with a clean tea towel, then sit it over a large bowl or pan. Ladle in the syrup - let it drip slowly through. Discard the bits left in the towel. Use a funnel and a ladle to fill sterilised bottles (run glass bottles through the dishwasher, or wash well with soapy water. Rinse, then leave to dry in a low oven). The cordial is ready to drink straight away and will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. Or freeze it in plastic containers or ice cube trays and defrost as needed.

ELDERBERRY CORDIAL

Steps:

• Stem and wash berries.
• cover with water and cook until very soft; strain.
• Measure juice; for each quart, add 2 cups of sugar.
• Return to saucepan.
• Tie spices in bag and add to sugar/juice mixture.
• Cook until thick.
• Cool, remove spices and measure again.
• Add 1 pint liquor for each quart of syrup.
• Bottle and cork tightly.
• Let sit in cool dark place for at least three weeks.
• Improves with age.

ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL CONCENTRATE

Steps:

• Combine the elderflower heads, sugar, lemon juice, and citric acid in a large acid-proof container. Pour the boiling water over the ingredients and let steep for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Strain the liquid by pouring it through muslin into a large bowl. Ladle into bottles and refrigerate, or pour into freezer containers and freeze.

PRELUDE TO SUMMER - OLD FASHIONED ENGLISH ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL

Steps:

• Place the freshly picked elderflowers in a large heatproof bowl or pan (that can be covered or has a lid). Add the sliced lemons. Then add the sugar.
• Pour the boiling water over and add the citric acid - stir all the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved.
• Make sure the lemon slices and most of the elderflower heads are under the sugar water. Cover and leave in a cool place for 4 days.
• Every day, remove the lid and stir the mixture - pressing the lemon slices gently to extract the juice.
• You should be able to smell the beautiful floral fragrance of the elderflowers after only one day -- if after 4 days you feel there is not enough "floral" flavour to the cordial, leave for a further day.Remember, that this will be diluted to drink or added to other ingredients, so it should be as strong as possible in smell and flavour!
• When you are ready to bottle the cordial, strain through a non-metallic FINE sieve (lined with muslin if necessary - if the sieve is not fine enough) into a large pouring jug or bowl.
• Then pour the cordial into clean and sterile bottles. Seal the bottles and store the cordial in a cool, dark, dry place. This cordial is ready to use/drink now, and it will keep for a very long time if stored in the right conditions. (I have some from 4 years ago and it is still as fragrant and floral as the day I made it!).
• NB: Citric acid can be found in chemists or pharmacists, or in special brewing and wine-making shops/departments. If you cannot source citric acid, use an extra lemon instead.

ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL

Steps:

• Bring sugar and 2 cups water to a boil, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine lemon juice, zest, and elderflowers. Pour syrup over flower mixture; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate 1 day. Strain cordial through a fine-mesh sieve; discard flowers. Cordial can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month.