Elderflower Cordial without citric acid.

[ginger ninger]

I've just made some of this and the house smells wonderful.

Elderflower Cordial.

Ingredients

10 large elderflower heads
900g granulated sugar
600ml litres water
2 lemons

Pick off any insects and beasties you see on the flowers

Heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Strip large ribbons of zest off the lemons with a vegetable peeler, lose the knobbly ends, then slice the lemon and place in a large bowl with the elderflower heads (I took mine of the mane stalk).

Pour the hot syrup over the lemons and elderflower heads and give it a good stir. Cover the bowl with a cloth or a big plate and leave it for 24 hours.

Strain the mixture with muslin or kitchen paper in a sieve and pour into sterilized bottles. I used a couple of small glass ones for the fridge which should be used within a month and a small plastic bottles for the freezer for future use.

Apart from using it as a drink with San Pelligrino for day and the addition of a shot of vodka at night, I'm looking forward to using this long after the summer has gone in baking, with poached pears, in a fool when the gooseberries come out, in jellies...

I doubled the above recipe...cos I'm greedy .

[Munch]

Deja Vu!!

I just read this on Faceache!

All my Elderflower have set to berry now Missed the boat here

Nevermind..... onwards and upwards...... Elderberry wine!!

[scarey55]

Thank you GN, I was just thinking about making some before the flowers go over. Sounds yummy.

[Alison]

Loads out here in perfect bloom. The recipe I have has citric acid in it and is tried and tested for me so I'm not risking a change . Am planning on having a walk along the canal bank tomorrow night to get a batch set off so should have enough to see me through the year by the time I've finished. Made a tonne of elderflower champagne last year for my 40th but going more the cordial route this year. Also going to put a couple of heads worth in some strawberry jam as that's really nice.

[zazen999]

Citric acid IS lemon juice isn't it?

[Alison]

As I understand it lemons CONTAIN citric acid but am guessing there are other things in the juice. Think you're probably right though that the powder in the recipe above is simply replaced by lemon juice

[ginger ninger]

Citric acid IS lemon juice isn't it?

Yup, but round here if ya go into a shop and ask to buy it...they look at ya gone out, far too many drug dealers who use it for other things. Plus the lemon taste adds to the flavour.

[chris]

Same here GN, but Wilkos sell it (even online too).

We've had a load of funny looks. Next time i'm just going to say to cut drugs - see what they say

May be worth pointing out, it's better to buy unwaxed lemons incase people don't realise this?

Edit 2: how long would this keep, GN? Do you freeze it (if so, in what?) at all?

[zazen999]

Yup, but round here if ya go into a shop and ask to buy it...they look at ya gone out, far too many drug dealers who use it for other things. Plus the lemon taste adds to the flavour.

Weird.....I'd always use lemon juice instead of citric acid anyway; I'd never actually buy any!

[ginger ninger]

Edit 2: how long would this keep, GN? Do you freeze it (if so, in what?) at all?

I use small glass ones for the fridge which should be used within a month and a couple of small plastic bottles for the freezer for future use.

[Snadger]

Funny that, I made some last year and had to source the citric acid online. I got 20 questions at Boots the chemist, so just gave up.

TBH if lemon juice is just as good I'd rather use that!

Ta muchly for the recipe ninge!

*thinks!*.......... Must check in the freezer to see if I have any cordial left from last year!

[OverWyreGrower]

I've still got about a litre and a half left from last year.... well, we did make 8litres of cordial.....

P.S. I use lemons and not citric acid for cordial...

[Snadger]

[QUOTE=OverWyreGrower;859761]I've still got about a litre and a half left from last year.... well, we did make 8litres of cordial.....

P.S. I use lemons and not citric acid for cordial...[/QUOTE]

Now all I need is a sugar substitute to make some Atkins elderflower cordial!

[ginger ninger]

[QUOTE=Snadger;859767]

I've still got about a litre and a half left from last year.... well, we did make 8litres of cordial.....

P.S. I use lemons and not citric acid for cordial...[/QUOTE]

Now all I need is a sugar substitute to make some Atkins elderflower cordial!

Apparently you can use "Honey crystals" as a substitute for sugar Snadger. Have a look here to find out more...looks good. I like the look of the recipe section.

[Snadger]

[QUOTE=ginger ninger;859787]

Apparently you can use "Honey crystals" as a substitute for sugar Snadger. Have a look here to find out more...looks good. I like the look of the recipe section.

Sounds really nice ginge but surely I would just be replacing one sugar with another, sucrose with fructose? Both make carbs as far as I know? Or am I wrong?
Didn't know you could get this stuff though and it does sound tasty!