How to make my homemade, low sugar, utterly delicious elderflower cordial...
This week I felt it would be wrong not to share the recipe for my low-sugar, totally delicious elderflower cordial with you as it's the perfect time to get out and forage! I get so many questions every year about how I make it. So I thought I would share exactly what I do with you all.
I have been making elderflower cordials for so many years now, ever since I was a little girl with Mum, we'd go out foraging together and make it at home. So it does bring such nostalgia for me and it's something really easy and special to do with your children or Grandchildren! From foraging to enjoying the final product together.
Simon doesn't drink, so he loves my elderflower because it's got a third of the amount of sugar of regular elderflower cordial recipes. It doesn't need to be really syrupy and sugary. If he goes out for an evening and he's just drinking elderflower cordial he comes back on such a sugar high, but with mine, it doesn't have that effect. It's much lighter, really refreshing and such a delicious drink.
It's important to know what elderflower looks like, so you don't end up picking something that could cause harm. It does look quite similar to cow parsley or hemlock, which can cause quite serious issues - so do be very careful!
Elderflower heads have a lovely fragrant smell to them, so give them a little sniff when you come across some. They also grow downwards from a tree, on overhead or relatively low branches - not upwards from the ground. So you pick from above, not below. The leaves are pointed, with darker green on the top and paler green on the bottom.
As for apparatus to make your cordial, you're going to want a big pan to steep the whole lot in overnight, a large bowl to sieve it into, and muslin cloths. I use two layered on top of each other because this ensures absolutely no nasties get into your cordial. I also use clean muslins that used to belong to my children as these tend to have a tighter weave than muslins bought for this exact purpose.
Make one batch at a time, otherwise, you're going to have a lot to sieve through at once when it comes to it and the mixture won't fit through your muslins!
After you've foraged your elderflower heads, don't leave them for long before making the cordial. Use them whilst they're fresh.
Be mindful of what you take, and don't over-pick from one bush. The general rule is to only ever take a third of what is there so you're not jeopardising the sustainability of the beautiful plant.
My other top tip is to make sure when you pick your elderflower heads, that the heads are fully open and they're in flower. They look like little white hundreds and thousands before the flower has properly opened up, so if you've got those on the outer flat head, you know that it's not quite ready to pick. Wait and in a day or so's time, it will be fully open and you know that they're ready to be picked and enjoyed.
There is only a small window of opportunity with elderflower, it's normally about two to three weeks. It depends on the weather and where you are. I think if the elderflowers are in more sunlight then they're ready earlier, if they're in shady areas, then sometimes it takes a little bit longer.
As for storing, I tend to keep the first batch in a jug or glass bottle in the fridge as I know it won't last very long in the house! I also always save plastic bottles to use to store more for the year, as this freezes beautifully. Fill it to almost the top and be sure to leave a little gap to allow for expansion.
To mix it up a little, you can also add rose petals to your cordial to give a really delicate rose flavour.
You can incorporate this cordial into so many things - I pour a little into my victoria sponge cake rather than vanilla essence, pop it into ice lollies for the children, it's great in cocktails, and of course simply as a refreshing drink on a hot summers day with some still water or sparkling from the Soda Stream!
Elderflower Cordial Recipe
Ingredients:
30 large elderflower heads
800 g caster sugar
50 g food grade citric acid
2 unwaxed orange’s sliced
3 unwaxed lemons sliced
3 pints of boiling water
Method:
Give your elderflower heads a little rinse - not too much or you'll lose too much pollen which adds to the flavour!
In a large pan pour the boiling water over the sugar and stir until melted.
Add citric acid and leave to cool for 15 mins.
Add the sliced lemons, oranges and elderflower heads.
Leave for 24 hours, pop a muslin or tea towel over the top to protect it whilst it infuses. Give it a stir and a squish every few hours.
Pour through 2 muslins doubled up to catch any remaining nasties.
Bottle up and enjoy!
I hope you love it as much as we do - let me know what you think!
See you again next week when it's finally Q&A time for Sigh and I, so please remember to ask me your questions! This week was supposed to be our Q&A, but I wanted to share this with you as early as possible whilst the elderflowers are at their best!
Love, Charlie x