Elderflower Cordial Recipe
Elderflower is probably one of my favorite things to forage, because well, I love to drink Elderflower Champagne & Cordial!
There's many ways to brew with Elderflower, you'll find loads of recipes on the internet as well as comprehensive tips. Search my articles to find my Elderflower Champagne recipe, and here is a simple Elderflower Cordial recipe.
Elderflowers flower in NZ in late November & early December which is the perfect time to make an elderflower cordial in preparation for Xmas day or to give away as a lovely homemade gift.
I make the cordial for the whole family to enjoy (without the alchoholic content). This cordial can then be diluted with water or sparkling water to make a refreshing drink on a hot day.
Medicinally Elderflower has cooling properties.
Elderflower Cordial Recipe- Bring 600mls of filtered water to the boil
- Stir in 600 g of sugar or honey and stir until dissolved ***
- Tip the hot liquid over 12-15 large elderflower heads in a large heatproof glass jar (if you don't have a large enough or heatproof jar, just leave in the pot).
- Add a finely sliced lemon + 2 tbsp citric acid
- Stir well
- Cover and leave to stand for 24-48 hours
- After infusion, strain through a fine mesh sieve or muslin cloth into a clean bowl or jar. If there's any floaties, strain again.
- Bottle in sterilised bottles or glass jars.
- Store in a cool dark place for upto 3 months or in the fridge. Keep in fridge once open.
- Drink diluted with water to taste.
Variation ~ feel free to add different herbs for extra flavor, like mint or lemon balm etc.
***This is the traditional recipe. However I'm not a fan of white sugar and actually make this with raw local honey. Add the honey when you tip the hot liquid over the elderflowers, and stir well to dissolve. Use the same quantity of honey to liquid.
Enjoy!