Simple Recipe for Homemade Elderflower Cordial

You will love our elderflower cordial recipe because it makes a refreshing treat on a hot day. Follow our easy guide to a delicious cordial that will last for months.

Elderflower cordial is easy to make and it will keep for three to four months in the fridge. You can easily forage and hand-pick the main ingredient yourself. Look out for the creamy-white, sweetly scented elderflower blooms in hedgerows, scrub, woodlands, and wasteland at the beginning of summer. Use the following tips when picking your own elderflowers:

• Pick your flowers on a sunny day and use them as soon as possible
• Never gather elderflowers when they are wet.
• Look for clusters which are just starting to open.
• Avoid areas of high pollution and litter.
• Select flower clusters that are higher up.

Elderflower Cordial: Easy Recipe

Ingredients:

• 25 elderflower heads – don’t run the flowers under the tap or you’ll wash off the natural yeasts
• Finely grated zest + juice of 3 lemons and 1 orange for extra tangy taste
• 7½ cups of granulated sugar
• 1 heaped tablespoon of citric acid (optional)
• 6½ cups boiling water

Method:

1. Remove elderflower stalks and shake off debris – inspect your elderflower heads for dirt or insects.
2. Place the flower heads in a large bowl together with the orange and lemon zest.
3. Bring water to the boil and pour over the elderflowers and citrus zest.
4. Cover and leave for 24-48 hours to infuse, stirring 2-3 times daily.
5. Strain the liquid and pour into a saucepan.
6. Add sugar, lemon and orange juice and citric acid.
7. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer.
8. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
9. Pour your cordial into sealable glass bottles.
10. Store in the fridge for up to 4 months.

Elderflower Cordial: Ideas For Use

The easiest thing to do with your elderflower cordial is to dilute it with water and ice for a refreshing thirst-quencher. And if you really want to celebrate summer with some fizz, then your cordial will taste fantastic with prosecco or champagne too. Cool off by making delicious juice pops or ice cubes with your elderflower cordial. Dilute one part cordial to two parts water and pop in the freezer.

Add a splash of your blend undiluted to a quick fruit salad or a healthy spring salad for a zesty injection of flavor. You could try your elderflower cordial as an added ingredient when baking too. Mix a couple of teaspoons of elderflower cordial to icing sugar and add enough water to make a spreadable icing. Or you could just add it to your cake mix and let people wonder what your secret ingredient is!

Read more:

• Strawberry Syrup: A Simple Recipe
• Dandelion Honey From Flowers: an Easy Recipe
• Homemade Ketchup Recipe That Is Better Than Store-Bought

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