Elderflower Cordial
I've had this elderflower cordial recipe for over 10 years. I've stayed faithful to it because the cordial turns out just how I like it best: aromatic, sparkling and fresh, with a "clean" elderflower taste. The only condition is to prepare it on sunny days, at least a few hours of sun per day, and to keep the jar in the sun during this time.
Every year my brother is in charge of making our elderflower cordial - he's the lucky owner of a sunny balcony. This year he made 3 five-liter jars and we're already thinking about making a second batch because elderflower cordial is our favorite drink in May. It cheers us up, refreshes us and teleports us back to childhood.
Elderflower therapy is recommended for fighting many conditions: digestive (they have diuretic and laxative properties), respiratory (colds, flu and bronchitis), dermatological, eye, rheumatic, heart conditions or nutritional (for weight loss diets).
Ingredients
10 large elderflower heads
500-600g sugar
1 large lemon
8g fresh yeast
You will also need: a 5-liter jar
How to prepare elderflower cordial
- Wash the elderflowers and place them at the bottom of the jar. Cover with sugar, then add the lemon juice and sliced lemon peel. Add water to cover everything and leave until the next day.
- The next day, fill the jar with cold water, stir, add the yeast (for fermentation), cover with cheesecloth and leave in a warm, sunny place for another 2-3 days (depending on how warm it is and how tangy you want the cordial; for us 2 days were enough).
- Every day stir the jar in the morning and evening and taste the cordial. When it has reached the desired tanginess, strain the cordial, put it in bottles and keep it in the refrigerator.
- Serve the elderflower cordial cold.
* Note 5.06.2017 - Last week I made elderflower cordial with small differences: I didn't wash the flowers because I picked them from an area without dust, where cars don't pass, and therefore I reduced the yeast by half (4g). It turned out even more aromatic and lasted longer in the fridge without becoming too alcoholic.
Elderflower Cordial
