Elderflower cordial recipe

 

This is a recipe given to me by Liz, a family friend famous for her hospitality and good cooking. I make it every year, and it's wonderful! These quantities make about 4 pints of cordial.

  

You need: 

20 heads of elderflower picked at the end of a sunny day

3lbs caster sugar

2 pints water

Grated rind and juice of 2 lemons 

2oz citric acid powder

Method:

Dissolve the caster sugar in the water, add the grated lemon rind and juice, add the elder heads and leave to stand, covered, overnight. I do this in a really big saucepan, but a large mixing bowl would do as you don't need to heat it.

In the morning, add the citric acid powder and stir thoroughly. Then strain the liquid into plastic or glass bottles and keep it in the fridge.  Mix to taste with sparkling water (I use about 1 part cordial to 5 parts water), or sparkling white wine - Liz says it improves Lambrusco no end! Garnish with borage sprigs if you have any.

Notes:  

•  The sunny day specified is desirable but not critical; I made my latest batch on a rainy day and it tastes fine.
• Don’t wash the flower heads first, even if they have little bugs on them. Straining the mixture later will get rid of any such critters, and they don’t impair the taste. 
• Citric acid powder is sold in most chemists, and is not expensive.
• To strain the mixture I've found the best method is to use a muslin cloth (as bought for babies to be sick on, or sold for jam making): line a big mixing bowl with the muslin cloth and then scoop the elderflower mixture into it with a ladle (don't pour it all at once or the flowers will drop in with a splash and spill sticky cordial everywhere...). Then gather the corners of the muslin and carefully lift it, allowing the cordial to drain into the bowl. Resist the temptation to squeeze the muslin as this makes the cordial cloudy. When it's stopped dripping, dump the muslin into the saucepan or bowl you began with, and then using a ladle and funnel, fill the bottles with the cordial.
• I sterilise the bottles first with Milton but if you're planning to drink the whole lot quite quickly it probably doesn't matter. 
• You can freeze the cordial; if you're planning to do this, fill the bottles only about three quarters full.
• The cordial is very sticky so be prepared to clean the kitchen thoroughly afterwards, especially if small people “help” you with stirring and pouring.