Elderflower syrup, making your own elderflower cordial is a task that should be on your spring to-do list. When the elder trees are in bloom, it is the perfect time to make a delicious elderflower syrup that you can enjoy for a long time in multiple ways. Let’s get to it!
Homemade elderflower syrup
This elderflower syrup recipe will teach you exactly how to make your own elderflower syrup. And it’s a lot of fun! From picking the elderflower blossoms to making the delicious syrup, I really enjoy it and it honestly tastes best when you’ve made it yourself. Add some soda water or cold water and treat yourself with a nice glass of homemade elderflower lemonade.
How do you recognize elderflower heads?
The great thing about elderflower, or sambucus nigra in Latin, is that they grow in the wild. So there is a good chance that you can find it near you! But how do you recognize elderflower bushes? The blossom or elderflower are blooming in spring and early summer, their berries grow after summer (September-October). You can recognize elderflowers by the clusters of small white flowers that grow close together.
When in doubt, rub a few flowers between your fingers and you will recognize the typical scent. For the freshest elderflowers, pick them in the morning and at high altitudes (if you pick them low, you’ll never know if a dog has just walked by ). Keep them in a paper bag while you pick them and keep them in a cool dark place until you use them, don’t wait too long!
How long can you store homemade elderflower syrup?
One thing that is crucial when it come to storage is that you work as cleanly as possible. So, sterilize the bottles you work with, make sure you use fresh elderflowers and don’t wait too long to make it. If you store the elderflower syrup in clean bottles in the refrigerator, it will keep for at least a few months. If you want to keep it even longer, you can also use citric acid instead of lemon.
If you make too much elderflower syrup, you can also use it in baked goods. It combines incredibly well with lemon, almond, and fresh fruit such as strawberry and rhubarb to name a few. You can also give the syrup away in small bottles. Happiness guaranteed with this lovely gift.
How to make elderflower syrup
Now that you know where to find elderflowers and how to store them, it’s time to get started with this elderflower syrup recipe! Below you will find the basic recipe you can use to make your own elderflower syrup. It consists mainly of water, lemon juice, cane sugar and of course elderflower.
But you can absolutely add other flavors to it. For example, you can add flavors like ginger, cinnamon or orange – whatever you like. I always like to serve my elderflower lemonade with ice cubes and a lemon slices. Totally summery, fresh and sweet with floral notes. I love it!
Ingredients
- 25 clusters of elderflower blossoms
- 1 liter of water
- 1 kilo of cane sugar
- 1 lemon
Equipment
- Bottles
- Cheesecloth or fine sieve
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
- Gently shake the elderflower blossoms so that any bugs fall out.
- Then cut the flowers off the screens and dispose of the large green parts, put it in a large pan or bowl.
- Add the water so that everything is just submerged when you press it.
- If necessary, put a plate on top so it stays well submerged, cover with a tea towel or lid and leave it like this for at least about 24 hours in a dark, cool place – longer is also possible (think 36 or 48 hours for an even more intense flavor). So that the elderflower can impart its flavor into the water.
- Then pour the liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, squeeze out the flowers and save the liquid.
- Measure how much liquid you have. you need about 1 kilo of cane sugar per liter of liquid. But you can, of course, use less (or more) sugar to taste.
- Add the cane sugar to the liquid in a saucepan along with the juice of the lemon or citric acid* and bring to a boil. Boil until the sugar is dissolved.
- Sterilize bottles or jars and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Fill the containers and store the elderflower syrup in the refrigerator, it will keep for a few months. Enjoy!
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