Elderflower Cordial. Simple, sweet and delicious beverage from our childhood. Made with few, the simplest ingredients, by our Grandmas’ recipes, dissolved with water, soda or even some champagne, makes a perfect, summer refreshment that your kids will remember dearly!
Elderflower Cordial has been following me all my life. Not in a haunting way, even though I must admit I didn’t appreciate it as a child at all. Even more, I hated the thought that there is not much of a beverage choice but Elderflower Cordial. I minded that. As well as few other things from my childhood that I felt imposed to me. Like knitted sweaters my Mom used to make for me. And I wanted store bought. I wanted store bought beverages, shiny and sprinkling store bought juices and sodas from TV commercials. Therefore, I often refused to drink it. Not because of the taste itself, but for the lack of choice.
Well, I didn’t have many choices to chose from when I was a child. I cannot say that I was in lack of anything, but as middle August born Leo as I am, it certainly wasn’t very pleasant. Hahaha!
OK, back to the Cordial. Luckily, some people come to their senses when they grow up so I learned to appreciate simple things that my Grannie used to make. Simple things in life that make the life itself. Things that you can make from stuff that you already have and not something exotic, expensive, something that you have to order from overseas or pay big money for it.
Like a big, cool, refreshing glass of Elderflower Cordial in summer. By the Grandma’s well, underneath the grapevine leaves shadow.
This Elderflower Cordial is really simple to make with the simplest ingredients.
Without any fuss, fiddle or messy kitchen you’ll make yourself this sweet, lemony, zingy golden syrup that can be diluted with water, soda or even some champagne!
It can hold well in your fridge for a substantial amount of time so in just half an hour of easy work, you’ll have a perfect summer refreshment in a sec!
For more cool summer beverages please hop over here, and if you need ideas what to eat in these summer days, here are some vibrant summer dishes too!
What are your summer favourites?
So how do you make it?
It’s important to find nice, dry, white Elderflowers that are not too yellow, therefore wilted. Even though I managed to use those too, but you have to be careful not to lose little petals and pollen on the way home 😉 and of course, pick ones that grow far from traffic fumes and other pollutants.
ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL
15 Elderflower flowers, without leaves and with fewer petals as possible
2500 ml / 10 cups of water
800 g / 4 cups of sugar
1 – 2 tbsp citric acid (omit if using more lemon)
3 lemons, juice and pulp. If using bio lemon, use the zest too
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (optional, not in my Grandma’s recipe)
Soak flowers in water. You can soak them overnight but you don’t have to. Add everything else and cook on medium heat – let it boil for 10 mins or so, it’ll be enough. Strain through the sieve, pour in clean bottles and there you go. Keep in the fridge, it should last for a good month, even more.
If you want to keep it longer, then wash glass bottles thoroughly, put them in the oven and heat for 20 mins on 100°C to sterilize them. Then pour the syrup, close the lids tightly and put the bottles into a bigger pot with water. When the water boils, wait for another 5 mins or so, and there you go – you preserved it for next year! Wait until they cool to room temperature, take them out. Bottles can be stored in cool, dark place, not necessarily refrigerator only.
To serve 1 cup: pour few tablespoons in the glass, dilute with water or soda, add some ice, mint or lemon slices, and enjoy!
If you like it, PIN IT FOR LATER!
