Elderflower Recipes -add your own too

[Alison]

I made elderflower cordial last year - it was lovely but needed to be kept in the fridge.

Until tonight when I read another thread I'd never heard of anybody keeping cordials in the fridge until they are open. Mine lives in a cupboard on the landing and the high sugar content means that it's fine for months. Made loads last week which am hoping will last me till next year.

...as I was saving money getting wine bottles, as opposed to swing top lid bottles, can't use screw top lids as you normally do with cordial lol now looking at plastic stoppers and plastic champagne corks or... just go and buy a corker I guess lol

Do you mean that you can't use screw top lids because there isn't a thread on the bottle? Read it as you thought you couldn't use a screw lid for elderflower cordial which isn't the case at all but having reread am not too sure. You don't need to worry about it fermenting as there is too much sugar and that prevents it starting up. Did chicken out of putting elderflower champagne in glass bottles though as I'd rather see a plastic one swelling rather than dodge broken glass

[GardenFaery]

no - it was because I'd bought wine bottles to save money ( hence no screw thread on bottle!) so I had to use corks - hard work with a corker but worth it in the end - saved about £10 by not using ceramic swing top bottles LOL

[Alison]

I keep thinking about buying swing top bottles to reuse every year but I can't justify the cost when I have other bottles which work OK.

[eirish]

Crumbs, my gooseberry and elderflower jam caught on the bottom of the pan. It's edible but tastes rather caramellised rather than fresh and elderflower-y. Will have to try again.

[GardenFaery]

put it into biscuits?

[eirish]

I think it's over-set, too. Sigh. Fruit leather?

[GardenFaery]

prolly work well in a crumble if you use half the sugar?

[eirish]

FINALLY managed to get enough elderflowers to make a half batch of cordial. Smells amazing so far.

[GardenFaery]

It's lovely when you've been working in the garden in the sun and you still have to drive somewhere and want something cold with a slice of lemon but non-alcoholic LOL

But then again - leaving the rest of the flowers for berries and make Elderberry Wine too lol

[eirish]

It's perfectly luverly, if I do say so myself. Good thing, 'cause it's been most irritating seeing you lot down south going on and on about elderflower this and elderflower that whilst sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting for the bloomin' flowers to bloomin' bloom already!

Not interested in making wine, but I'm hoping to make some better elderberry cordial this year. I'm thinking orange, lemon, cloves, maybe a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg. Super duper winter cold buster.

[wollyanna]

HAs anyone tried freezing the elder flowers to make cordial later. We have so many flowers it seems a pity not to be able to use some at a later date.

[GardenFaery]

Funny someone describing me as 'down south' esp for a southerner (herts) relocated to Midlands LOL
Glad you got yours cropped too at last.
As we speak I am eating Scottish strawberries - MASSIVE compared to Kent ones this year - what's all that about then?

It's lovelier with Lemon in it especially - and I made orange and lemon cake with the left over citrus fruits at weekend... always a good excuse for a cake LOL!

[Printemps]

I make loads of elderflower cordial every year, well about 20 litres, and I decant it into 50cl plastic bottles and pop them into the freezer. Because of the sugar content they don't freeze rock hard, but once thawed it's always fresh.

I gave up with glass bottles for making elderflower 'champagne' - the fermentation process is too risky - so again I just use the 1.5litre plastic bottles that previously contained any fizzy drink, ie coke, lemonade etc. Far safer.

Hic! ;-)

[Samurailord]

Just bottled up some Elderflower cordial tonight.



I must admit I have never tasted it before, but I rather like it

Andy

[eirish]

Ooh, like the labels, are they your own design or did you buy them somewhere?