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What to do with elderberries?

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  • ChocClare
    ChocClare Posts: 1,475 Forumite
    You can make a really wonderful syrup with them for coughs and colds (antiviral) or a tincture for the same purpose.

    Don't eat them raw as too many will give you a very upset stomach.
  • Fruball
    Fruball Posts: 5,739 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    QUICK TIP - the best way to get them off the stems is to run a fork down the stem and it will knock the berries off without damaging or covering your fingers in juice! :)
  • Uniscots97
    Uniscots97 Posts: 6,687 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Thank you everyone for your help, I had visions of poisoning myself!!! I just need to decide what recipe to use now.
    CC2 = £8687.86 ([STRIKE]£10000[/STRIKE] )CC1 = £0 ([STRIKE]£9983[/STRIKE] ); Reusing shopping bags savings =£5.80 vs spent £1.05.Wine is like opera. You can enjoy it even if you don't understand it and too much can give you a headache the next day J
  • soozywooz
    soozywooz Posts: 20 Forumite
    I've made a syrup for coughs and colds and also shoved a load in a bottle of rum with some sugar in the hopes of a passable drink later in the year.
  • Chloris
    Chloris Posts: 720 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    They are elderberries! My children eat them raw. I rinse them and throw them into natural yogurt and banana with honey for breakfast. I also put a hand full into apple crumble. I have frozen some for the winter. They have large pips which I don't have a problem with but you couldn't use them for jam. Enjoy them!
  • Uniscots97
    Uniscots97 Posts: 6,687 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    soozywooz wrote: »
    I've made a syrup for coughs and colds and also shoved a load in a bottle of rum with some sugar in the hopes of a passable drink later in the year.


    do they need to be cooked first before putting them in the rum or other alcohol?
    CC2 = £8687.86 ([STRIKE]£10000[/STRIKE] )CC1 = £0 ([STRIKE]£9983[/STRIKE] ); Reusing shopping bags savings =£5.80 vs spent £1.05.Wine is like opera. You can enjoy it even if you don't understand it and too much can give you a headache the next day J
  • floyd
    floyd Posts: 2,722 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Don't eat or use any that are green as they will make you ill
  • ChocClare
    ChocClare Posts: 1,475 Forumite
    unixgirluk wrote: »
    do they need to be cooked first before putting them in the rum or other alcohol?

    No, not at all - just rinse, weigh, and either

    a) cover in alcohol and leave in a cool dark place for one month, stirring occasionally, to make a tincture for medicinal use (strain the fruit off and bottle the juice) or

    b) add sugar (half the weight of elderberries) and alcohol to make elderberry gin/vodka/rum. Leave in a dark place, stirring occasionally. This really needs to sit for a few months - again, strain off the fruit (which you can then use to make fortified wine if you're REALLY keen).
  • Trinny
    Trinny Posts: 625 Forumite
    500 Posts
    Hi There all

    YOu can use elderberries mixed with blackberries or apples and stewed to make crumble filling or pie filling. Use small amounts and they wont over power the other stewed fruit.

    They freeze really well too - and can be used from frozen so if you have a bag in the freezer you can add a handfull to any stewed fruit and use them this way.

    Also you can make great elderberry sorbet with them - just google for the recipe - i think HFW does one.

    Best Wishes all

    Trin
    "Not everything that COUNTS can be counted; and not everything that can be counted COUNTS"
    GC - May £39.47/£55. June £47.20/£50. July £38.44/£50
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  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    I have seen lots of these, and only found out the other day what they were. I can't wait to go and pick some now, so I can make a jelly or sorbet or stick them in the freezer.
    Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
    (he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
    :D:D:D
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