Elderflower Cordial

Making elderflower cordial is an easy way to bring out and preserve the flavors of this beautiful summer flower. After you have foraged or picked elderflowers from your garden and are ready to make the cordial rinse then in a bowl of water to shake off any dirt or bugs that may be hiding in the flower heads.

The stems of the plant are not edible so you’ll want to pick off the tiny blooms and add them to a clean jar. You’ll need about 2 cups of loosely packed blooms for this recipe. Slice 1 whole lemon and add it to the jar with the flowers.

Then bring 1 part water to 1 part sugar to a boil to dissolve the sugar and make a simple syrup. Once the syrup has boiled pour it over the elderflowers and lemon slices in the jar. Cover and let the mixture steep at room temperature overnight or for 24 hours to extract the flavor from the elderflowers.

Storing Elderflower Cordial

After the cordial has steeps you’ll want to strain off the liquid and discard the flowers and lemon slices. Pour the strained cordial into a flip-top bottle or a mason jar with a lid and store it in the refrigerator to use within 2-4 weeks. Refrigerating the cordial will keep it from starting to ferment. Elderflowers have wild yeast on them that will start to eat the sugar in the syrup and turn the mixture into elderflower champagne instead of a sweet cordial.

You can also pasteurize the cordial to store it at room temperature for a longer time. This is a great option if you make a large batch at once. To do this you will need to let it boil in a hot water bath for 20 minutes as you would do for canning pickles or jams. The bottles will need to be sterilized in boiling water first before bottling the cordial. Once the cordial is bottled, place the bottles in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and then let it cook at a low boil for 20 minutes. Remove them from the water bath and cool them to room temperature. Pasteurized cordial will keep for up to 1 year stored at room temperature in a cool and dark spot of your house or pantry.

Elderflower Cordial Questions:

Where do I find elderflowers?

Elderflowers are the flowers of the elderberry plant. Elderberries grow throughout the US and the world. There are different types of elderberries. My best advice is to research what types grow in your area and when they are in bloom. In Nantucket, they tend to bloom later than the mainland, in July. Elderberries like wetlands and wet areas. They can often be found growing along road sides, but I would discourage you from foraging on a well-traveled road because the plants may be sprayed or drinking unclean road water runoff. If you have a yard I would plant one or some elderberry plants on your property so you have them available to you every year. We will be planting a bunch next spring.

When are elderflowers in bloom?

It really depends on your area of the world. It’s different everywhere. It can be as early as May or as late as July in New England alone.

I don’t have access to elderflower. Can I use another flower?

Yes, you can use any edible flower to make cordial or syrup. The flavor will be different than elderflower cordial. Something similar that blooms around the same time is honeysuckle. See below for links to other flower syrups in my recipe archives.

How long will the cordial keep?

It will keep for about 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator or you can pasteurize it to be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year.

For more edible flower syrups and ways to use them check out these recipes:

• Strawberry Elderflower Gin Smash
• Wild Elderflower Honey Lemon Drizzle Cake
• Lilac Cordial (Syrup)
• Wild Honeysuckle Strawberry Lemonade
• Lilac Gin Fizz Cocktail
• Rose Simple Syrup
• Wild Violet Syrup & Color Changing Lemonade

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Elderflower Cordial

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• Author: Kaity Farrell
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Idle Time: 24 hours
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 24 hours 15 minutes

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Description

Capture the essence of fragrant elderflower blossoms in this easy-to-make elderflower cordial. Use it to sweeten summer drinks!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lemon
• 2 cups loosely packed elderflower blossoms, stems removed, from about 12 flower heads
• 473g (2 cups) water
• 400g (2 cups) granulated sugar

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Instructions

1. Slice the lemon into and add the slices to a clean quart jar.
2. Fill a bowl with water, submerge the elderflower heads and agitate them in the water to wash off any grit and bugs.
3. Remove the flowers from the stems and add them to the jar.
4. Bring the water and sugar to a boil then pour the simple syrup over the flowers and lemon in the jar.
5. Cover the jar and let the mixture steep at room temperature overnight or for 24 hours. Then strain off the syrup and transfer it to a clear bottle or jar and refrigerate it.

Notes

• If you let the mixture sit out longer than 24 hours it could start to ferment, which makes elderflower champagne. If you want to keep it a sweet syrup then make sure to refrigerate it.
• Elderflower cordial will keep for 2-4 weeks sealed and refrigerated. If you are making a large batch and want to store it longer you can pasteurize it in a hot water bath, similar to canning jams. First, sterilize the bottle or jars in boiling water. Then fill them with the cordial and seal them. Then place them in a deep pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 20 minutes. Remove the bottles from the water and let them cool to room temperature. Once it is canned it can be stored at room temperature until you open the bottle. Once opened it needs to be refrigerated.
• Always use caution when foraging for wild edible plants. Make sure to identify the plant correctly by referencing guidebooks and asking an experienced forager to confirm a plant’s identity.

Keywords: elderflower, elderflower cordial, elderflower syrup, flower syrup, edible flowers

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