Pick the elderflower on a dry sunny day, choosing those that smell lemony and fresh. For the rose petals, pick them from red or pink roses for the colour.
For long-term storage, the cordial can be frozen.
To drink, dilute to taste with cold water (still or sparkling). It can also be made with hot water to encourage sweating in colds and fevers.
The cordial can be frozen to make a sorbet or popped into possible moulds to make ice lollies. Extra rose petals can be added to make the colour brighter.
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Ingredients
- Elderflower heads 30
- Fresh rose petals 2 handfuls
- Sugar 1 kg
- Water 2 litres
- Citric acid 50g
- Lemon, Chopped
- Orange, Chopped
Method
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Step 1
Boil the sugar in the water for about five minutes in a large saucepan. Pour into a large ceramic bowl and add the citric acid, and chopped lemon and orange.
Step 2
Add the elderflower heads and rose petals. Stir well. Cover with a clean cloth and leave for three or four days. Strain through a jelly bag and fill sterilised bottles.
Step 3
To drink, dilute to taste with cold water (still or sparkling).[image id=”61760″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” align=”none” title=”Elderflower and rose cordial” alt=”Elderflower and rose cordial” classes=””]
This recipe is an extract from Eat Your Weeds! by Julie Bruton-Seal and Matthew Seal., published by Merlin Unwin Books.
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[image id=”61763″ size=”landscape_thumbnail” align=”none” title=”Eat Your Weeds book cover” alt=”Eat Your Weeds book cover” classes=””]Main image: An elderflower drink. © Katrin Benary/Getty