Elderflower

Optimisticpair

soullessfire wrote: »

Redid the lot, steeped the citric acid, flowers and fruit in the plain cold water to begin with then when this had infused, I strained it into a big saucepan and heated it until it began boiling, added the sugar and brought it back to the boil for a few minutes then just bottled it hot. Tastes the same as it did before but with the boiling I don't have to worry about yeast or anything else so would recommend it as a better process this way.

I got my cirtic acid from Wilkinsons and also from a local brewers goods stall on the market. Since my first brew failed I decided not to go back in case this raised eyebrows and just ordered some food grade citric acid off ebay

Yeah, if you want to kill yeasts boiling is the ticket. You are using fruit in your elderflower cordial Mmmm it sounds good.

BTW the juice of a lemon equals a teaspoon of citric acid.

mambury

Kay_Peel wrote: »

I got a recipe from a lady but I haven't tried it yet.

Wash your elderflower heads, dip them in batter and fry them. Remove when the batter is pale golden coloured and drain. Sugar to taste if you need it.

And that's it!

Fabulous! the recipe I used said to leave the stalk on, dip in batter whilst using the stalk as a handle, once the battered flower head is over the hot oil then snip the stalk off... wonderful with a little icing sugar and icecream..... mmnnnn still lots of flowers on my personal tree so I might just have to make some.....

soullessfire

Optimisticpair wrote: »

Yeah, if you want to kill yeasts boiling is the ticket. You are using fruit in your elderflower cordial Mmmm it sounds good.

BTW the juice of a lemon equals a teaspoon of citric acid.

Like you said before I was probably unlucky. Nobody else seems to have messed it up but I was rushing a bit as my sister has hayfever and can't be around elderflower so I was trying to get it sorted and cleaned up in a short time so probably didn't let it cool enough.

There was fruit in the original recipe and I liked the first batch so I just stuck to it. You just zest the lemons and slice them into the water to infuse so they don't really get juiced. The lemony taste isn't really all that strong, it just helps with the sweetness I guess. Never actually had elderflower cordial before so I'm winging it in terms of what it tastes like lol

Aless

I have been brewing my second batch of elderflower champagne and I think it has gone off, does anybody have any advice. Today is the 6th day that I was leaving it to seep before bottling and I have just checked it. In previous days when I gave it a stir it was fizzing and the room where I have stored it smelt of elderflower. Today nothing happens when I stir it and there is the unmistakable smell of vinegar not elderflower. I thought maybe the heat has turned it?

Should I just throw it out?