Our Elderflower Recipe
One of our most cherished family traditions is picking elderflowers each year. This beautiful ritual comes from my husband's side, handed down through generations, and it's become an essential part of our rhythm as we mark the seasons.
We head out early in the morning when the elderflower pollen is at its most potent, giving the flowers their incredible aroma and medicinal properties. The kids love helping us pick the delicate blooms, gently shaking off any little insects as we gather exactly 1.36kg of blossoms.
Elderflowers aren't just delicious; they're also incredibly beneficial medicinally. Traditionally, elderflower has been used to ease colds and flu, soothe respiratory issues, and support immune health. In winter, we warm our homemade elderflower cordial with fresh lemon slices—comforting, soothing, and restorative. In summer, it's transformed into a refreshing drink, served chilled with plenty of ice, water, and fresh lemon slices, a perfect companion for lazy summer afternoons.
Here's our simple family recipe for elderflower cordial, which we make each summer in a large batch to last us through the year:
Ingredients:
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1.36kg elderflowers
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5.11 litres water
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3kg sugar
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6 fresh lemons
Method:
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Gently shake and check the elderflowers to remove insects; avoid rinsing to keep the pollen.
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Boil the water with sugar for 5 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.
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Pour the hot syrup over the elderflowers, stir gently, and leave to infuse for 24 hours.
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Just before setting it aside, slice and add the lemons to the mixture.
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After 24 hours, strain the liquid through muslin to remove flowers and lemon slices.
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Heat the strained cordial gently (do not boil), then carefully pour it into sterilised bottles.
This recipe fills five 1-litre bottles, plus leaves you with a lovely full jug to enjoy immediately!
We cherish this yearly tradition—not only for the delightful drink we create but for the memories made in the gentle rhythm of picking, preparing, and bottling together as a family.
