Elderflower Cordial Demonstration

15 June 2008

12 adults and children enjoyed learning how to make a refreshing summer drink using elderflowers from the woodland and a delicious aroma of lemon and elderflowers filled the glade on a sunny Sunday afternoon. A tasting session of last year's cordial followed, accompanied by home made cakes, and everyone agreed that the cordial made by our demonstrator, Margaret Cochrane, was much nicer than commercial versions.

Elderflower Cordial

20 elderflower heads
750g sugar
1.5 pints boiling water
Juice of 1 lemon and the rind cut up
40g citric acid

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Leave for 5 days, stirring occasionally, e.g. 3 times a day. Then strain the mixture through a fine sieve or clean cloth. Pour the strained liquid into bottles, either plastic or glass, and put tops on the bottles. The cordial can be kept in the fridge, or cellar, or frozen. To drink add water to taste, as for orange squash or ribena.

More recipes

Elderflower Sorbet

The flavour of this sorbet is so delicate that it should be eaten very fresh

2 dozen elderflower heads
1 lemon
1.25 pints water
4oz sugar
1 egg white

Steep elderflowers with strips of finely pared lemon peel in 1 pint boiling water. Leave for about 1 hour. Boil sugar vigorously with a quarter pint of water and cool. Strain the elderflower water into the syrup, stir in the lemon juice and freeze. When the mixture starts to set, beat or blend and fold in the stiffly beaten egg white. Return to the freezer. Serve straight from the freezer.

Elderflower Champagne

2 heads elderflower
1.5lbs white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 gallon water
1 lemon

Put elderflower heads in a bowl followed by the lemon juice, cut up rind (no white pith), sugar and vinegar. Add cold water and leave for 24 hours. Strain into strong bottles, cork firmly and lay them on their sides. After 2 weeks it should be sparkling and ready to drink. This drink doesn't keep very long and so should be drunk through the summer.

Elderflower fritters

Make a batter with 125g plain flour, pinch salt, 25g caster sugar, 2 tbsps olive oil and 1tbsp rum or kirsch. Whisk in up to 150ml water, stopping when the batter has the consistency of very thick paint. (It needs to be thick enough to hold a couple of stiffly whisked egg whites.) Cover and leave to stand for at least 30 mins. Choose 8 large fresh and fragrant sprays of elderflower and give them a quick bug check, but handle them as little as possible as you want the fragrant pollen to stay in the flowers.

In a large high sided pan or deep fat fryer heat at least 5cm of good frying oil, such as groundnut or sunflower, until a small cube of white bread thrown into it turns golden brown in about a minute. Turn down the heat to maintain a steady temperature. Whisk 2 egg whites until they form soft peaks then gently fold them into the batter. Dip the flowers in the batter, allowing the excess to drip off, then lower them gently into the hot oil. Fry in batches of 2 or 3, turning once or twice until they are puffed up and golden brown. Remove each as soon as it is done and drain on kitchen paper. Keep in a low oven or on a warm plate until you have enough to serve. Pile on a plate and sprinkle with a little caster sugar. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over them. A scoop of gooseberry ice cream also goes well.

Blackberry and Elderflower Granita

1lb blackberries
1 pint elderflower cordial
Juice of 1 or 2 lemons
2-3 tbsps crème de cassis or mure

Puree the blackberries with the elderflower cordial in a liquidiser and push through a very fine sieve. Add the lemon juice and stir in the mure or crème de cassis. Pour into a shallow dish or non-reactive stainless steel tray and put in the freezer. Leave for an hour or so and have a look - there should be some freezing of the mixture around the edges. With a fork, stir the crystals into the liquid parts and return to the freezer. Do this every half-hour, lifting and stirring the crystals about gently, rather than crushing them, and leave the container uncovered.

When the mixture is the consistency of a firmish slush the granita is ready. Serve into well-chilled glasses, top with a little whipped cream and an extra drizzle of mure or crème de cassis.

2008 news index