Elderflower Cordial
Hold onto your hats kids because it’s Elderflower season. That’s right, grab your bag for life and head out into the fields but, what are you looking for? In my last post I spoke about my foraging experience with Totally Wild UK. On the day we learned that Elderflower grows in abundance around Hackney from May to June meaning it’s primetime to go out and get picking.
A few notes on picking Elderflower. Elderflower is a type of tree, the blossoms are florets of small upward facing cream-coloured buds and the serrated leaves grow in around seven leaves to a stem. Why am I telling you this? It’s because Elderflower is often mistaken with Hemlock, a poisonous plant that grows all over the UK. For context, it’s what they used to kill Socrates back in the day so you don’t want a bottle of it chilling on your kitchen counter.
The best time to pick Elderflower is on a bright sunny day, never pick it when it’s been raining as it’s the pollen that gives it it’s flavour which the rain dampens. Try to only choose large florets, at least the size of your palm where the buds have fully opened. You’ll get a better flavour and it’s better for the tree to allow the smaller heads to develop.
Over the next few days I’ll be sharing a series of Elderflower recipes as a beginners guide to foraging. As we’re still in lockdown, I’m going all out treat yo’self with sweet treats and a few boozy delights thrown in.
One of the basics is Elderflower cordial. It’s a gateway recipe - once you’ve got a bottle of this on standby you can add it to a Lemon Drizzle for a seasonal twist or throw it into a cocktail at the weekend.
Ingredients:
1kg sugar
1 litre boiling water
3 lemons, zested and sliced
50g citric acid.
30 heads of elderflower.
Size note: This makes about a litre and a half. Half the recipe if you’re trying it for the first time or if you’re saving your sugar during lockdown.
Method:
Remove and insects or debris from your Elderflower but don’t wash it. Cut off thick stalks and set to one side.
Put a large pan on the heat. Pour in sugar followed by the boiling water. Stir with a spoon allowing all of the sugar to dissolve.
Zest the lemon and slice them into circles. Add them to the pan along with the citric acid. Bring the mixture to boil for five minutes them turn off the heat.
Add the Elderflower to the pot pushing it down into the liquid with a spoon. Put the lid on the pan and leave it overnight to infuse.
The next day, strain the liquid through a muslin or a clean tea towel into a bowl. Using a funnel, transfer the liquid from the bowl into sterile bottles.