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Traditional Elderflower Cordial Recipe

5/7/2013

2 Comments

 
Well I'm back from my reenactment holiday at Kentwell Hall and now enjoying the glorious sunshine here in Cambridge. I'll share with you what I got up to when I was away in the next post, but today I thought I'd treat you to one of my favourite summer recipes - Elderflower Cordial. 

This year with the cool spring, all our plants seem to be flowering later. I usually start to pick elderflowers in May, but only recently do these fragrant white blossoms seem to be at their peak. 
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Making the cordial is really easy and foraging for the elderflowers is a fun activity for a warm and dry day. Enjoy it as an outing with the family, or use it as a chance to explore the countryside around you. 
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To make your Elderflower Cordial you will need:

30 fresh elderflower heads - picked when white and freshly opened on a warm and dry day and rinsed to remove any dirt or little creatures. 

3 pints of boiling water

900g caster sugar

3 lemons - sliced

50g citric acid - this is a preservative and adds a sharp tang, if you can't get hold of any then you can still make the cordial, it just won't keep for as long. 
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To make the cordial, simply pour the water on the sugar in a large bowl, mix and leave to cool slightly. Then add the citric acid and lemon slices, before adding your rinsed elderflowers. Give it a good stir. 
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Leave the cordial to steep for 24 hours with a cover over it - preferably a fun vintage tea towel, though this is not strictly necessary ;-)
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The next day, strain with a fine sieve or through a piece of fine muslin, and funnel into sterilised glass bottles. Enjoy immediately! I like mine diluted about 1 to 10 with sparking water and a slice of lemon and, of course, in one of my vintage tumblers from my ever growing collection! 
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Have a great weekend and happy cordial making! 

Sophie
2 Comments
Michaela link
5/7/2013 01:10:23 pm

Great recipe Sophie, will be looking out for the Elderflower's this weekend :-)

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Food, Fash, Fit link
30/8/2013 04:46:53 pm

Ah, I saw your glasses and had to stop by - I inherited some of these from my nan and I wondered where you got yours from!

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