Elderflower Cordial
Elderflowers are ready to pick around late May and June. They're best picked when the buds are freshly open. You will want heads that are covered in beautiful open flowers. Gather away from roads on a sunny, dry morning – their aroma fades by the afternoon.
When you pick them try to find ones that are free of bugs. Be gentle as you pick so as not to disturb the pollen which is where a lot of the flavour is.
For the best flavour try to make the cordial within a couple of hours of picking whilst the flowers are fresh.
Ingredients: Makes around 2 litres. You will need sterilised bottles or jars to store the cordial
130-150g (15-20 heads) freshly picked elderflower heads
1.5kg golden caster sugar
1.5 litres water
2 unwaxed lemons
50g food grade citric acid (available from Whole foods, Amazon and some chemists)
Method:
1. Do not wash the elderflowers as you will loose flavour. Pick over the flowers and remove any bugs. Trim off any branches leaving just the complete flower heads.
2. Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring from time to time to help the sugar dissolve.
3. Remove the zest from the lemons in broad strips with a potato peeler or sharp knife and put into a large bowl with the elderflowers. Slice the lemon flesh thinly and add this to the bowl. When the sugar syrup has come to a boil, pour it over the flowers and lemons. Stir in the citric acid. Cover with a clean dry cloth and leave in a cool, dark place for 24 hours.
4. Taste the cordial and judge whether you want it to be any tarter adding a little more citric acid to taste if required.
5. Strain the cordial through a muslin or a double layer of kitchen towel-lined sieve into a large sterilised jug or bowl. Now pour the cordial into sterilised bottles or jars and seal.
6. Label giving a six to eight weeks refrigerated shelf life.
Elderflower & Pomegranate Cordial
Take one large pomegranate and roll it pressing quite firmly on a table, this will help to loosen the seeds. Holding over a measuring jug, make a small incision half way down the side. and carefully squeeze the pomegranate to release the juice within. Now put a sieve over the jug and cut the pomegranate in half. Using a spoon firmly tap the outside edge of both halves of the fruit to release the jewelled seeds into the sieve. Stir the seeds to release any juice. You can eat or use the seeds in another recipe, it’s just the juice you need.
You should get from a large fruit around 100ml of juice. Now make up to 500ml with elderflower cordial. Adjust the amount of cordial depending on the amount of pomegranate juice. Bottle in sterilised bottles and label as above.
To Serve:
Perfect summer drink diluted to taste with iced still or sparkling water served with a sprig of fresh mint, or add a splash to a gin and tonic, or Champagne or sparkling wine using elder and pomegranate for a rose colour, garnished with a few pomegranate seeds.