A little later than last year, but it's that time again...
Time to make elderflower cordial. A simple and satisfying process, from picking the blooms to bottling and makes a lovely gift for sharing.
INGREDIENTS
1 kg white sugar, either granulated or caster
1 lemon
13 fresh elderflower heads trimmed
42g (10 tsp) citric acid
800 ml water
Put the sugar and 800 ml water into a large saucepan. Gently heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Pare the zest from the lemon using a potato peeler, then slice the lemon into rounds.
Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the pan of syrup to the boil, then turn off the heat.
In a bowl of cold water, swish the flowers around to loosen any dirt or bugs. Gently shake off excess water before transferring to the syrup, along with the lemon slices zest and citric acid, then stir well.
Cover the pan and infuse for 24 hrs.
Strain through a tea towel over a large bowl or pan. Discard the bits left in the towel. Use a funnel and a ladle to fill sterilised bottles that have been rinsed and dried in a low oven.
The cordial is ready to drink straight away and will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.
Recipe makes 1400ml, approx 2 x 75cl bottles.
