If you are yet to discover the delightful flavour or elderflowers, you are in for a treat with this easy to make elderflower syrup.

You may have stumbled across an elderflower bush before and not realised you can turn those sweet little flowers into a delicious syrup. It lends itself to all kinds of applications.

Drizzle it straight over ice cream or yoghurt, use it as a flavouring in cakes and icings, or use it as a mixer for drinks...think vodka, gin, kombucha, soda water or even as a good old cordial mixer with just plain water.​

Lemon is added to the syrup to keep things nice and bright, but the flavour is anything but lemony. It's actually quite floral...nothing like any store bought syrups you buy.

It's just one you will have to try...trust me...it's a keeper!

When picking elderflowers, make sure you pick heads with open flowers on the bush early in the morning.

Oh...and be sure to leave some flower heads on the bush for the birds and so the bush can produce some berries later in the season...the berries make a wonderful syrup too! 

Elderflower Syrup

Notes

Citric acid is a natural preservative which helps to extend the life of the syrup. It adds more tang to the flavour, but you can leave it out if you use the syrup within 1 month. It tastes lovely with or without it.

Ingredients

• 1kg sugar

• 1 litre water

• 20 - 30 elderflower heads. Remove the flowers from the green stems as best you can (shake the heads to make sure there are no insects hiding in there)

• 4 medium lemons (washed, zested and sliced)

• 1 heaped tablespoon citric acid powder, optional. See notes below. (Available in most supermarkets in the same aisle as bi-carb soda)

Method

1. Place the flowers, lemon slices and zest into a large heat proof bowl.
2. Fill a large saucepan with the water and bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling point is reached remove the pot from the heat and pour the water over the elderflowers and lemon then cover with a clean tea towel.
4. Allow to steep for 1 - 2 days covered at room temperature to allow the flavours to infuse the water.
5. Strain the mixture into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar, and citric acid if using.
6. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, then bring to the boil. Once boiling point is reached remove from the heat straight away. (Continued boiling can make the mixture begin to gel once cooled).
7. Pour into sterilised, warm bottles then seal. See how to sterilise bottles HERE.

Storage 

If you added citric acid the syrup should last in the fridge for up to 2 months.

If you didn't add citric acid the syrup will last in the fridge for 1 month. 

You can also freeze the syrup for 6 months.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, if you have any questions at all just let me know at [email protected]

Happy Preserving!

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