Foraged Elderflower Cordial

Homemade fresh elderflower cordial made with foraged elderflowers. This fabulous recipe using wild elderflowers tastes and smells divine!

The first week in June is usually the best for elderflowers but it will vary depending on where you are in the country and the timing of Spring.

Foraging for elderflower heads

I went foraging in the hedgerows with my trug and scissors to cut the fresh elderflowers. I popped them in the fridge as soon as I got home to keep them fresh.

Use fresh elderflower heads. Choose those where all the flowers are opened – with no buds – but before the flowers have turned yellow.

Elderflower Cordial Recipe with extra Elderflower

I adapted a version of a recipe by BBC Good Food. I used about 14 heads of elderflowers (around 65g), 800g of caster sugar, 1 litre of water, the rind of one lemon and also the rest of the lemon cut into slices, plus 35g of citric acid. This makes the balance slightly stronger with elderflower than the original recipe.

Making Elderflower Cordial – Method

Step 1

Prepare your elderflower heads by removing the stalks. Use a potato peeler to zest your lemon and slice the rest of the lemon into rounds. Add your elderflowers to a bowl of cold water – any dirt or bugs will sink to the bottom. Gently remove the flowers and then keep them in a bowl in the fridge until you need them.

Sterilise your glass or plastic storage bottles ready for tomorrow. You will need to use plastic if you want to freeze the cordial. You can also use ice cube trays. Sterilise them in the dishwasher or a hot soapy wash and then dry them gently in the oven.

Step 2

Add the sugar and water into the largest saucepan you have. Gently heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Stir the mixture every now and then.

Step 3

When all the sugar has dissolved, bring your pan of syrup to the boil and then turn off the heat. Remove your elderflowers from the fridge and add them to the pan with the circles of lemon, the lemon zest and the citric acid. Stir well. Cover the pan and leave the mixture to infuse for 24 hrs. Make sure you breathe in the beautiful aroma!

Step 4

Line a colander with a clean tea towel and place it over a large bowl or pan. Slowly ladle in the syrup and let it gently trip through the fabric. Add the flower remains to your compost. Use a funnel and a ladle to fill your pre-sterilised bottles.

Step 5

Drink and enjoy the fresh foraged taste of Spring! This is a cordial so should be drunk diluted – try it with cool water from the fridge. I fill up glass bottles with tap water and store them on my fridge to avoid the excess packaging when buying mineral water. You can also add the cordial to cakes or use it as a syrup on pancakes.

Your fresh elderflower cordial will last for 6 weeks in the fridge.