As many of you will know I made elderflower wine in the autumn, and this spring I was keen to make my first batch of elderflower cordial.
My first attempt last spring had been quite unsuccessful, I had not realised that citric acid which is an important ingredient, could be so hard to get a hold of.
After being informed by a friend that so many people were requesting citric acid from the local chemist last year in order to make elderflower cordial, they now has it on their order list. Therefore this year I made sure I was prepared, and as soon as I came across elderflower in the hedgerows I went to the chemist and stocked up on the stuff!
Setting out up my mother’s fields to walk the dogs one evening last week, I took a basket with me to collect enough elderflower heads to make my cordial.
Whenever I go up the fields foraging, Squeak who is one of my mother’s liveries is always interested in the content of my basket and comes over to check out what I have collected. Once he is satisfied that I have nothing of interest to him, he allows me to continue on my way again.
Elderflower cordial is quite possibly one of the easiest foraging recipes to make and is the perfect summer drink either added to a glass of water loaded with ice or as a gin mixer as I have discovered this year.
Ingredients I used:
- Approximately 25 elderflower heads
- 2 lemons (un-waxed)
- 2 litres water
- 3kg white sugar
- 85g citric acid
Method:
- Pour the water and sugar in to a large saucepan and slowly dissolve
- While the sugar dissolves, gently wash the elderflower heads before pulling them from the stalks and slice the lemons
- Once the sugar has dissolved bring to the boil
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool before throwing in the elderflower and sliced lemons
- Cover and leave to infuse overnight
- Using muslin drain the sweet and thick syrup in to a larger saucepan and transfer in to sterilised glass bottles and refrigerate or even freeze some as ice cubes.
Top Tip
Pop the freshly picked elderflower heads in the freezer overnight. This will allow for easy picking of the flowers the next day using a fork.
Love Emma x