Using Elderflower

Hi in the past few weeks I've realised I have got elderflower growing in my garden. Any recipe suggestions or other uses for it anyone would like to share? I've found a elderflower juice recipe that I've currently got on the go.

 

Just made 3 pints of cordial.

Boil 3 pints of water, dissolve 2lb of sugar, 2 oz of citric acid, lemon & orange juice, add 30 flower heads after stripping the blossom off the stalks, cover & leave for 24 hours, strain & bottle into sterilised bottles.

 

Wonderful stuff. I saw a recipe in one of the papers for an elderflower drizzle cake. Basically the same as a lemon drizzle cake, but using a strong elderflower syrup, similar to Zig's cordial, in fact, but I would use more elderflower, more sugar and less water to make it good and thick for soaking into the cake.
Sis's birthday tea on Sunday. I think I know what cake I'm making her.

 

No idea what a Drizzle cake is, but it sounds good

 

My uncle used to make elderflower wine. It was lovely stuff.

I heard or read somewhere that you can make elderflower jelly but I have no idea how, but I bet google would tell us.

 

It's certainly a lot better than the meteorological variety.

 

Hugh Fenrnly Whittingstall has some good recipesi got 4 gallon of Elderflower 'Champagne' on the go

 

ill try making the elderflower wine. I just don't think I've got enough flower heads growing at the min.

 

I regularly raid the countryside for Elderflowers (making sure to leave plenty on the trees though) for wine making at this time of year. It is easy to make (a bit smelly) but make sure to leave it long enough BEFORE bottling and again after bottling.

 

I'm told (but haven't tried it) that when fermentation is complete, you can add a very small amount more yeast and sugar when bottling, then a second stage of fermentation occurs but at a significantly reduced rate. Just enough to fill the wine with bubbles to make it into a champagne/cava copy.

 

Yes, but you must have the right type of bottles for that or they will explode!

 

I prefer to leave the flowers to turn into berries, then make Elderberry wine from them...that needs to sit bottled for a good while though. I have some two year old elderberry wine..ready to drink this winter I reckon.

Steve...

 

there are loads of elderberry trees round where I work, ill probably get some from there. I think ill try making some elderberry wine too.

 

When's the party then loli

 

just tried my elderflower cordial that I started yesterday, and oh my god its beautiful. I was sceptical at how good it would taste coz it doesn't really smell very nice.