Elderflower Cordial

mama67

my elder tree is approx a week away from coming into bloom, just need a few more sunny dry days.

I got my citric acid from the local wholefood shop 100g/£1.65, so lemons will be on my list this week

I freeze it in old plastic squash bottles and then just pull out as needed.

We last weekend finished the bottle that has been in the fridge since end of last summer(didn't make any last year), and it was still as fresh as when first made 2 years ago.

Blairweech

Have just picked my elderflowers and am making cordial according to HFW's recipe. All the flowers were out on the elderflower heads, it is a lovely sunny day - I made sure there was no brown blossom on any of them - but when I poured over the boiled water, they all went brown???? Is this just cause they have been burnt by the water or are they bad?

SmlSave

Mine all went brown too Blairweech - its fine though and tastes lovely

thriftlady_2

Blairweech wrote: »

Have just picked my elderflowers and am making cordial according to HFW's recipe. All the flowers were out on the elderflower heads, it is a lovely sunny day - I made sure there was no brown blossom on any of them - but when I poured over the boiled water, they all went brown???? Is this just cause they have been burnt by the water or are they bad?

It's just what they do;) Don't worry, it'll be fine.

sueeve

My health food store suggested Vitamin C powder in the absence of citric acid, and it was lovely last year. Haven't read all this thread, but apparently citric acid is used to cut heroin, which is why it is not now easily found.

sazzy6

I have read that cordial only lasts for up to 6 weeks (this month's good food mag) where as someone here suggests it is fine for up to a year if kept dark and cool; I don't really want to freeze it.

I would like to know what other people think about this.

Cheers!

purpleheather2810

sazzy6 wrote: »

I have read that cordial only lasts for up to 6 weeks (this month's good food mag) where as someone here suggests it is fine for up to a year if kept dark and cool; I don't really want to freeze it.

I would like to know what other people think about this.

Cheers!

If you sterilise your bottles properly, store it in a cool dark place it should manage many months if not a full year. I just went on a hunt for my grolsch bottles and found that one from last year(which was under the stairs) still had some cordial in the bottom. It was still fine, no mould or anything... but quite fermented....! I suppose it depends on the recipe, but most have a lot of sugar in which will preserve it together with the citric acid (if you can get it, that is). Maybe the good food mag recipe didn't have as much sugar or citric acid in it?

zarazara

Having had problems with exploding bottles in the past we have decided against making elderflower champagne but would like to try cordial. Has anyone any recipes please?

zarazara

Sorry peeps,I've just found another thread with the recipe.

psso

If it`s any help, I bought citric acid at the pharmacy counter of Tesco last week. Needed it to clean steam steriliser for baby grandson`s bottles.

It was 99p for 50g. Not as cheap as the wholefood shop but maybe more accessible for some people.