Ingredients:
1. 15 big heads of elderflower blossom
2. 1 kg sugar
3. 500ml water
4. 1.5 large organic lemons in sliced
5. 1.5 TBS citric acid (50g) (optional) ("Citronsyre" in Danish)
Directions:
1. Pick flowers away from traffic pollution. Remove stems, and shake away any insects. Don't rinse them, as it takes away the flavor from the flowers.
2. Boil water and when the water boils, add in sugar and stir until the sugar are dissolved.
3. Add in lemons, citric acid and elderflowers.
4. Lower fire (no. 2.5 on my stove) while stirring to make sure that elderflowers are fully submerged (less than a minute to do this) and you can switch off the fire immediately already.
5. Let cool on the kitchen counter for 12 hours. If you wish for a stronger flavor and color, continue to let it steep in the fridge for 1-2 days.
6. Use a sieve over a large bowl and strain the flower liquid.
7. To remove any last residue, fill them into bottles using a funnel lined with a filter cloth.
8. The cordial is ready for use - dilute with water or fizzy water. You can add ice-cubes and lemon slices as desired.
Video Demonstration:
Storage:
1. Store bottles in the fridge. It can last for 30-40 days.
2. You can also freeze it down in the freezer in ice-cube trays or containers.
Uses:
1. Also delicious in vinaigrette - mix with wine vinegar, a touch of mustard, salt, pepper and a light olive oil, and pour over a salad of courgette, lettuce and broad beans.
2. You can also freeze them as homemade Popsicle for the children without diluting them.
References:
http://www.valdemarsro.dk/hyldeblomstsaft/
https://www.dr.dk/mad/opskrift/hjemmelavet-hyldeblomstsaft
https://www.dk-kogebogen.dk/opskrifter/visopskrift.php?id=4574
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMIfx4MuHOQ
https://www.foodtv.dk/video/1_tcioxvhx/hyldeblomstsaft-frisk-og-laeskende-sommerdrik
https://lonelandmand.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/hyldeblomstsaft-opskrift/
http://www.kvalimad.dk/page/hyldeblomst-saft-hyldeblomst-drik-hyldeblomstsaft/uuid/df7419a1-4f7c-11e6-843e-f1226953a0e3
http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/elderflower-cordial?img=1
Additional Information:
The elderflower trees are all over Denmark, and they bloom during late June and early July, ready to be plucked and made into elderflower cordial. This is one of the Danish childhood's activities that Danish kids grow up doing and experiencing.
J learned how to make elderflower cordial at his scouts and requested me to make this with him. He considered it a Science experiment :-) He brought me to the places where we can pluck elderflowers. First we found them in Virum along Lovgardsvej. Then we found a elderflower tree near Sorgenfri Church. We also found elderflower trees in Slotsparken. And finally on the way home, we found two other elderflower trees along the way home away from the traffic, near the cycling lanes "down the river valley" in Lyngby.
So we have been plucking elderflowers after I picked him up from the after-school care for the past two days. Daddy FECS came along yesterday at Slotsparken. It was fortunate that he was there, as the trees were too high for J and I to reach, so Daddy FECS could help us.
But being a Singapore-born city girl, this was the first time I dared venture into making elderflower cordial with our Little FECS after being in Denmark for 17 years, and after much pestering from him though!!!
After trying, I realized that it is actually quite easy.
J was very excited when we made this together for the first time. As we had so much elderflowers, I made a second batch last evening, but then, the novelty was gone :-( J wasn't too enthusiastic to help me much :-( This is my boy!!!
We gave a bottle to a friend, who was happy to receive it :-)
27 June 2017 8(Y3M23D): J plucking an elderflower head.
We gave a bottle to a friend, who was happy to receive it :-)
J taught his clueless concrete-jungle-born Singaporean mom how to spot an elderflower tree, which he learned from his scouting.
An elderflower tree in Slotsparken
We spotted a elderflower tree that is not polluted by the traffic on the way home from school :-)
Elderflowers blossom close-up.
1. First, bring to boil 1 litre of water.
2. Add 2 kg of sugar i.e. 2 packets
3. Wait for it to boil to just below boiling point and until all the sugar dissolves.
4. In the meantime, cut the stems off the elderflower heads and shake off any insects.
Do not wash and rinse them, as it will take away the scent and flavor. You can't avoid some tiny insects remaining, but they will all die in the boiling water and syrup solution.
5. Slice 3 large organic lemons.
6. Add lemons into the pot. Reduce heat. If you wish to have a longer lifespan for your elderflower cordial, add 3 tablespoons of the citric acid ("citronsyre" in Danish) now. If not, it can keep for 30 days in the fridge.
27 June 2017 (8Y3M23D)
7. Add in 30 stalks of elderflowers, making sure that they are fully submerged.
7. Add in 30 stalks of elderflowers, making sure that they are fully submerged.
8. Cover, off heat and let it cool for 12 hours on the kitchen top.
9. Here is how it looks like inside. Thereafer, if you wish to have a stronger flavor, continue to let it steep in the fridge for 1-2 days.
10. This is how it looks like after being cooled down overnight.
11. Use a sieve to strain the elderflower cordial.
12. To remove any last residue, I fill them into bottles using a funnel lined with a filter cloth.
They are ready to be consumed :-) Simple add a small part of elderflower cordial and dilute it with a glass of water to drink.
You can also freeze it up undiluted to make elderflower popsicle :-) Our kids enjoy it very much. I normally mix 1/2 elderflower cordial and 1/2 water to make the popsicle though so that it is not too sweet, but it is still sweet enough.
You can add elderflower as dressing to your salad too :-)
Come autumn, you can pick wild elderberries to make elderberry cordial. Here is a wonderful post and recipe I have found:
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