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Elderflower Syrup: My Best Recipe
Elderflower syrup making season is here! In June, the Elderberries are flowering and there is no better time to be outside harvesting elderflowers. Ahh, the taste of summer. Ice cream, sunbathing, swimming, … And, of course, elderflower syrup. This refreshing and delicious syrup is a great way to capture in a bottle the essence of summer! Here’s my best elderflower syrup recipe for you.
Difficulty Level: Easy
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2,5 litres
We recommend cutting the blossoms rather than picking them.
Ingredients
(Makes 2.5 litres)
- 1 l water
- 1 kg sugar or xylitol
- 200 ml lemon juice (or 15 g citric acid)
- 1 organic lemon (peel has not been treated with chemicals)
- 20 Elderflower heads (the more, the better)
- Mint or melissa branches to your liking
Preparation
After gathering enough blossoms you can clean them and cut the lemon in pieces. Combine the sugar and water with lemon juice in a large mason jar and mix until they dissolve. Remove the flowers from the stems and add the flowers and lemon slices to the jar. Stir well. Cover with a clean cloth and keep in a dark and cold place. Stir the sirup once or twice a day. Leave the flowers to macerate for at least three days. When the sugar has completely dissolved and doesn’t sink anymore, it’s drinking time.
Wash and sterilize bottles with hot water. Pour the syrup through a sieve to remove the flowers and lemon slices. Sieve the syrup through a fine cloth or tea towel. Pour into sterilised bottles.
Combine the sugar and water with lemon juice in a large mason jar and mix until they dissolve. Add the flowers and lemon slices to the jar.
Add some mint or melissa branches if you want and stir well.
Cover with a clean cloth and keep in a dark and cold place. Stir the sirup once or twice a day for three days at least.
When the sugar has completely dissolved and doesn’t sink anymore, it’s drinking time.
Variants
You can bring the syrup to a boil before pouring into bottles. I personally don’t do that because cooking can reduce the vitamin content and the syrup usually keeps for a long time without heating, too. You can swap the sugar out for xylitol. Simply add the same amount of xylitol and give the mixture a quick stir once or twice a day. (I don’t know if this option keeps as long as the one with sugar, but I assume it will.) You can also add mint leaves to the water and sugar mixture for added freshness. (Makes a refreshing and delicious non-alcoholic summer cocktail, homemade.)
Have fun trying out this recipe and CHEERS!