Easy Elderflower Liqueur Recipes

EASY ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Snip off the long green stalks of the elderflower, leaving enough to hold the flower heads together. Gently rinse the flower heads in water and check for bugs.
• Push the flowers into the emptied vodka bottle or a jar, tip in the sugar and leave for 1 hr.
• Add the lemon zest and juice and vodka to the bottle until it is completely full with no air space, keep any excess vodka to add back later. Seal and leave for 48 hrs. You can leave it for longer, but the flavour will change - it won't necessarily taste more elderflowery.
• Pour the vodka into a large bowl through a fine sieve (use muslin or a coffee filter, if you like). Add any remaining vodka, then pour into clean, sterilised bottles. Will keep for one month.

HOMEMADE ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL

Steps:

• Put the sugar and 1.5 litres/2¾ pints water into the largest saucepan you have. Gently heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Give it a stir every now and again. Pare the zest from the lemons using a potato peeler, then slice the lemons into rounds.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the pan of syrup to the boil, then turn off the heat. Fill a washing up bowl with cold water. Give the flowers a gentle swish around to loosen any dirt or bugs. Lift flowers out, gently shake and transfer to the syrup along with the lemons, zest and citric acid, then stir well. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 24 hrs.
• Line a colander with a clean tea towel, then sit it over a large bowl or pan. Ladle in the syrup - let it drip slowly through. Discard the bits left in the towel. Use a funnel and a ladle to fill sterilised bottles (run glass bottles through the dishwasher, or wash well with soapy water. Rinse, then leave to dry in a low oven). The cordial is ready to drink straight away and will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. Or freeze it in plastic containers or ice cube trays and defrost as needed.

ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Place flowers in the jar and covered the flowers in vodka filling so no air can get to the flowers. Close jar.
• Optional place a clean lid from a slightly smaller jar upside down on top of the flowers to weigh them down under the vodka.
• Place in a cool dark spot.
• Give the jar a shake daily for at least a week up to a month.
• Strain a couple times the second using an unbleached coffee filter.
• Add sugar to how sweet you want it.
• Place jar in the bar and shake it from time to time until the sugar has dissolved. When all dissolved enjoy room temperature or chilled in a Cordial glass.