Elderflower Cordial
The Country Store
Ingredients:
Makes 2.25 litres/around 4 pints
1.5kg/3 ½ lbs granulated sugar (cane sugar)
50g/2oz citric acid (available from chemists)
25-30 large elderflower heads (use more if they are small) gently wash and very gently shake to dispel any lingering insects and water.
2 lemons unwaxed, sliced
Dissolve sugar in 1.5litres/2 ½ pints of hot (boiled) water, stirring till dissolved, and leave to cool. When cool stir in the citric acid and add the elderflower and sliced lemon.
Cover and leave to infuse for two days (48hrs) at room temperature. Stir occasionally.
On the third day, strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin TWICE (or a new J-cloth rinsed out in boiling water) pour into clean dry sterilised bottles and pasteurise for 20 minutes at 85oC. Store in a cool, dark place. To serve, dilute to taste with still or sparkling mineral water.
Pasteurised cordial can be stored in a cool and dark place for a few months. If you do not wish to pasteurise your cordial, you should store it in the fridge for no longer than a few weeks.
Top Tips
Pick the elderflowers if possible early morning though any time during the day is OK provided it is not really hot.
Choose a period of dry weather. Avoid picking when raining or after rain.
Choose flowers which have only just opened. Leave those which have gone brown or those that the petals fall off if you gently shake them.
Never pick elderflowers from the roadside.
As well as drinking, it makes a lovely sorbet and also really enhances gooseberries if you had a tablespoon when gently poaching them.
West Ealing Abundance 
I have also been told it’s very nice with Vodka 🙂
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Diane,
I brought my 7 and 11 year old children out Elderflower picking after reading your recipe. We had great fun getting all the ingredients and making it. Now we are awaiting the 48 hour fermenting phase!
Thanks for the tip.
Put my name to help with picking later in the year.
cheers
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Hi Conrad its great to get the kids involved, my 3 year old helped me pick the Elderflowers to make the cordial we sold at Hanwell carnival yesterday! Another tip – when you strain it into sterilised bottles you will probably need to do it more than once to ensure no sediment collects at the top of the bottle (the other person that made the cordial strained it 4 times!)
Thanks for volunteering – things will start to get busy for us from mid August onwards so I will give you a shout then.
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Diane, mission succesful! We are all now enjoying this cool and refreshing drink under Ealings setting sun. Keep up the good work, see you soon.
Cheers
Conrad
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Great, glad you thought it worthwhile to give it a try. We are in the process of making quite a lot of bottles as the elderflowers are still going strong. Watch out for Rhubarb Cordial later in the year – delicious!
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