Ingredients:
1. 30 big heads of elderflower blossom
2. 2 kg sugar (or a mixture of rock sugar and coconut sugar)
3. 1 litre water
4. 3 large organic lemons in sliced
5. 3 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 sugar to just below boiling point.
3. Stir in lemons, citric acid and elderflowers, making sure that elderflowers are fully submerged.
4. 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.
5. Use a sieve over a large bowl and strain the flower liquid.
6. To remove any last residue, fill them into bottles using a funnel lined with a filter cloth.
7. 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:
https://www.meyersmad.dk/lav-mad/opskrifter/hyldeblomstsaft/
http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/elderflower-cordial?img=1
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
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 considers 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 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 a blessing that he was there, as the trees are too high and hard for J and I to reach, so Daddy FECS could help to pluck the elderflowers for us.
But being a Singapore born city girl, after being in Denmark for 17 years, this was the first time I dared venture into making elderflower cordial with our Little FECS though, and after much pestering from our Little FECS to do this with Mommy!!!
After trying, I realised that it is actually very simple.
We gave a bottle to a friend, who was happy to receive it :-)
J taught his 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 2 litres of water.
2. Add 2 kg of sugar i.e. 2 packets of sugar
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 the citric acid ("citronsyre" in Danish) now. If not, it can keep for 30-40 days in the fridge.
27 June 2017 (8Y3M23D)
7. Add in the elderflowers, making sure that they are fully submerged.
7. Add in the 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:
https://suzanneaskham.com/2013/09/15/recipe-elderberry-cordial
https://suzanneaskham.com/2013/09/15/recipe-elderberry-cordial
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