Adding elderflower cordial?

[OverWyreGrower]

Right, I've been given about 6kg of pears to use....

I was going to make some pear jelly, and was wondering about flavouring with elderflower. Obviously it would have to be cordial (homemade) as the flowers aren't in season anymore.

Normally I would use fruit juice instead of water for jelly-making, but am wondering if I should make up the cordial with water and use that instead of fruit juice?

[VirginVegGrower]

OOH OWG you should write a recipe book. Go for it as I would say the floral elegance of elderflower would complement a pear perfectly. I love looking out for your recipes. They never fail and everyone has been complimentary over my plum and cardamom (from your hand).
I have no pears but this is enough to make me want some. I have been experimenting on different fruit leather flavors and cheese concoctions. It's rather good fun.

[Hilary B]

If you plan on jelly, you need to be cautious adding anything with a sugar content before the early stages of cooking (unless you are going to add pectin). I'd be inclined to use water and add the elderflower after straining. Quite apart from other considerations, if you add the elderflower at the start, you would be throwing some of it away with the pulp (or including it in the subsequent 'cheese', which may or may not be what you want, and if you do, you could always add it to THAT at the later stage).
The other point is, how much of the elderflower flavour/scent would get boiled away with prolonged cooking?

[VirginVegGrower]

I added rose water to my jelly that I made and you can definitely detect a faint presence. Am assuming that's what you are going for. Sounds delicious to me OWG - wish I was nearer to you geographically and I would stand and Bisto kid at your kitchen window

[OverWyreGrower]

If you plan on jelly, you need to be cautious adding anything with a sugar content before the early stages of cooking (unless you are going to add pectin). I'd be inclined to use water and add the elderflower after straining. Quite apart from other considerations, if you add the elderflower at the start, you would be throwing some of it away with the pulp (or including it in the subsequent 'cheese', which may or may not be what you want, and if you do, you could always add it to THAT at the later stage).

The other point is, how much of the elderflower flavour/scent would get boiled away with prolonged cooking?

See, that's what I thought! I might just cook the pears down in pear/apple juice first, then add the elderflower in at boil stage after filtering it....

TBH, it's a complete experiment! I've got trillions of pears, so it doesn't really matter if it turns out as plain old pear jelly!