Elderflower Cordial

What a lovely weekend it has been. The weather has been glorious and it has been ideal for collecting the Elderflower heads I needed for Cordial. So off we went to collect them. Lily wandered around swinging the basket and counting how many flower heads I had put in. Then it was back home to make the cordial.

Elderflower Cordial Recipe

• 30 large Elderflower heads
• 1.5L (2 3/4 pints) water
• 1.5kg granulated sugar
• 70g (2 1/5 oz) citric acid (available from chemists)
• 1/2 Campden tablet (available from home brew shops) 
• 3 Lemons (sliced)
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• Pick 30 good sized heads with the flowers fully open.
• Rinse the Elderflowers briefly  in cold water to remove any bugs, shake off excess water and allow to dry on a tea towel.
• Boil 1.5L (2 3/4 pints) water pour into a large bowl and add the sugar stir until dissolved .
• Allow to cool slightly then add the Lemons, citric acid and Elderflowers. Stir and cover loosely with a tea towel.
• Leave to stand in a cool place for five days, stirring twice daily.
• Strain the liquid through a sterilised  muslin cloth laid in a colander, into a large bowl. 
• Crush half a Campden tablet and dissolve in 2tbsp of water, stir into the cordial this helps the cordial to last up to 1 year.
• Pour the cordial into clean, sterilised bottles, seal them with a tight-fitting cap then label. 
• The cordial is ready to use straight away just dilute to taste with water.

The aroma in the kitchen is heady with the smell of  Elderflowers. I love the smell although it is usually at the end of May rather than the beginning of July. Better late than never though.

Melanie xxx

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