... and then some Elderflower cordial

Elderflower bush

Followingo on from finishing the Hawthorn Cordial in my last post I have now started the first of many batches of Elderflower cordial as the Elderflower bushes around here flowering lovely - lots more flowers to follow too, so a few picked now in this lovely hot sun again - the best time to pick flower blooms for cordials, and more to be picked over the next few weeks for both cordial and champagne, and some left for the bees and buterflies to produce berries in the Autumn (for the birds and more foraging).

So, today there were some lovely full bright and heavily scented elderflowers so Imogen and I picked a few to make some refreshing cordial, the quintessential summer drink I think.

Elderflowers picked for cordial

Recipe used:
1.5 l of boiling water
1 kilo sugar
20 large elderflower heads
3-4 lemons
50g of citric acid (optional)

The elderflowers were put into the tub and I added lemon zest and then sliced the lemons too and added them. To that was added a cooled syrup made from 1½ litres of boiling water and 1 kilo sugar. You can also add 50g Citric acid as this helps to preserve it if keeping it for a while.

Wait for 3 days for the flavour to infuse, and then bottle into sterilised bottles, and enjoy. Last year I made lots of this and froze some in appropriate containers and have only recently used the last of it - Elderflower cordial all year round, what could be better. I will definitely do this again this year, and there is the champagne making to come too soon.

It already smells delicious.