Elderflower Cordial

Dustykitten

Chameleon did you strain yours to get all the bits of lemon out?

Filey

If you have to reach up to pick the flowers and it is a multi stemmed woody bush or small tree it is probably elder.

If the flowers are lower down and at or near the top of a stalk it is probably cow parsley or one of those other plants that look like it.

~Chameleon~

Dustykitten wrote: »

Chameleon did you strain yours to get all the bits of lemon out?

Yes, I strained everything through a muslin as I'd snipped all the flowers off their stalks so it was the only way to sift them all out :rotfl:

Pennylane

I have made elderflower cordial for YEARS and its a great family favourite. I always make sure I pick the elderflowers nice and early in the morning on a dry day. If there's a little bit of dew, all the better, it cleans them! There's something magical about the air at that time.:j I never use stuff that grows near roads.

I have sometimes overpicked and frozen the excess for later use. I also save a lot of plastic milk cartons and water bottles & freeze quite a bit of cordial. I LOVE getting some out for Xmas and remembering the hot day I picked them.

To those who are still not sure what elder looks like ... I bet you there's some very close to where you live!

I was at a posh Craft Fayre last summer and they were selling a tumbler of elderflower cordial for about £2!!:eek:

foreign_correspondent

Dustykitten wrote: »

I made up some diluted elderflower cordial (as you would for drinking) and poured it in to lolly moulds and froze it - the lollies are absolutely delicious

that sounds lovely - I also read it makes a fantastic sorbet, which is tempting to have a go at! Who would have thought those little white flowers would have so much flavour

eeyoresfriend

I know that I am too late for fresh elderflowers but really want to make some cordial - has any one tried making it with dried elderflowers - if so how was it and how many grams make up 20 flower heads?

thriftlady_2

eeyoresfriend wrote: »

I know that I am too late for fresh elderflowers but really want to make some cordial - has any one tried making it with dried elderflowers - if so how was it and how many grams make up 20 flower heads?

Not sure about dried flowers, but if you wait a few weeks you'll be able to make elderberry cordial -that is unless all the elderflowers were picked by old stylers;)

eeyoresfriend

thriftlady wrote: »

Not sure about dried flowers, but if you wait a few weeks you'll be able to make elderberry cordial -that is unless all the elderflowers were picked by old stylers;)

Hee hee - that was going to be my next option - I am also investigating blackberry cordial - my hubby was off of work a few weeks ago and went blackberry picking and harvested a mass of juicy berries - much to my surprise (as well as many passers by he tells me!).:rolleyes:

Primrose

I'd like to try making some home-made elderflower cordial this year but always seem to be busy when the flowers are blooming. Can the flowers be frozen and used later and if so, will this impair the flavour of the end product?

foreign_correspondent

yes, you can freeze them - just pop enough blooms for one batch in each container and when you defrost them, chuck all the contents of the container in - some juices may come out during the freezing and defrosting.