Elderflower cordial

Elderflower Cordial is a soft drink made largely from a refined sugar and water solution and uses the flowers of the elderflower. Historically it has been popular in North Western Europe where it has a strong Victorian heritage, however versions of an Elderflower Cordial recipe can be traced back to Roman times. It is an aromatic syrup, and when mixed with sparkling water, is very refreshing. (Citation needed for potential medical uses.) Though medical uses are unknown for the cordial itself, the highly satisfying nature of the beverage itself can be quite stimulating.It is quite simple to make at home when elderflowers are in season, from mid May to mid June. Elderflower heads are steeped in a concentrated sugar solution so the flavour is extracted into the sugar solution. The flowers are then removed and a source of citric acid (usually lemon juice) is added to help preserve the cordial and add a tart flavour. This process does technically mean that there are no elderflowers in a bottle of Elderflower Cordial.

Commercial production of Elderflower Cordial uses a scaled up version of the process described above. There are many commercial producers of Elderflower Cordial, these include [http://www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk Belvoir Fruit Farms] , Thorncroft and Bottlegreen Drinks - the dominant producers in the UK. Ikea also sells a Swedish elderflower cordial and Duchy Originals have one produced for them.

Commercially produced cordials are generally quite concentrated and are usually diluted by one part cordial to ten parts water, thus a 50cl bottle of cordial would be enough for 5.5 litres diluted. The high concentration of sugar in Elderflower Cordial gives it a long shelf life.

Here is a recipe for making Elderflower Cordial at home:

You will need:

* 35 fresh elderflower heads – use the sweet smelling ones (which tend to be a bit buttery in colour and which do not drop petals when shaken) * 2 oranges, rough sliced * 2 lemons, also rough sliced * 2oz tartaric or citric acid – citric makes for a more lemony taste. * 3 pints boiling water * 3lb granulated sugar * 1 Camden tablet per gallon of cordial (these kill the natural yeasts that arrive with the elderflowers and allow you to store the cordial for longer without it fermenting). If you do not use them, then you can freeze the cordial you want to keep for Christmas…. * One or two large containers (the size depends on how much you make at once) * Glass or food grade plastic bottles with airtight caps * a siphon tube * J-cloths or wine filtering fabric or muslin * A large sieve

Instructions:

* Boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. Allow it to cool. * Add the orange and lemon slices * Stir in and make sure the tartaric or citric acid is dissolved * Add the elder flower heads. * Cover with a lid or cloth and leave 48-72 hours. * Strain the mixture * Allow to settle and then siphon to another container, leaving the sediment behind. * Add 1 crushed Camden tablet per gallon of cordial * Shake well, and bottle immediately in sterilised airtight bottles If the Camden tablets are left out you can keep elder flower cordial refrigerated for several weeks. For longer than thatstore (in plastic not glass) in a deep-freeze.

Creative Commons Licence

Elderflower Cordial Recipe by [http://blog.ashridgetrees.co.uk/elderflower-cordial-recipe Frances Bosdari] is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.

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