Refreshment from the Hedgerow

The hedges are full of elderflower blooms at the moment so this is the time to be making your elderflower cordial. It is a while since I have made some so I collected some flower heads while I was out walking last week. My recipe requires 20 heads but as I had only collected 11 heads I decided to make half a batch.

The ingredients for my recipe are as follows:-

20 large elderflower heads

2 lemons chopped

2 oranges chopped

2.5 lbs sugar 

3 pints water

2 oz citric acid (usually obtainable from a chemist)

To make the cordial:-

1. Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat. 

2. Pour into a deep bowl and add the citric acid stirring until it dissolves.

3. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.

4. Cover with a cloth and leave in a cool place for 4 days stirring twice a day.

5. Strain and bottle into sterilised bottles.

I completely forgot to take a photo of the finished product but I can assure you that it tastes good. I use clean, sterilised small plastic bottles . I sterilise them with Milton and rinse them with cooled boiled water. I then freeze the cordial until I want them.

My sister in law freezes the heads and then makes one or two bottles as she wants them. I believe she uses a different recipe. She has been busy collecting flower heads to make cordial for the forthcoming wedding. Quite a task to undertake!