So many uses beyond diluting with water …  if you have never tried it, freeze in individual ice cubes in a tray with a sprig of mint in each, then serve in your gin and tonic…Summer in a glass!

You will need…

60 heads of Elderflower
3kgs Sugar
6 Lemons
100g Citric Acid
2 Campden Tablets

Method…

Dissolve 3kgs Sugar in a litre of boiling water, then add 2 more litres of cold water, leave to cool.

Pick 60 heads of Elderflower when dry and warm, lay them on a teatowel and shake off the bugs. Moving to a clean teatowel, shake bugs out of doors, then repeat several times till no more bugs are to be seen.

Put water and elderflowers in a preserving pan with:
6 Thinly sliced lemons
100g Citric Acid (buy in bulk from Vigo Presses the rather wonderful suppliers up the road from us – also mail order!)
Cover tightly and leave somewhere cool & dark (on a cold surface if possible) for two/three days to infuse – just stir morning and evening.

Before bottling, remove all flowers and lemons – squeeze out the juice and stir in 2 crushed Campden Tablets that have been disolved in a little boiling water. This will stop the natural yeasts working and mean you can keep the cordial for a year or more in tightly sealed bottles in a dark, cool place. If you choose not to use the Campden Tablets you need to refridgerate and use in a week or two, or freeze into icecube trays.

Strain through muslin into sterilised bottles, clean the outsides well, seal tightly, label and store in a cool, dark place. Will keep for up to a year or so.