Elderberry Cordial Spritzer Recipes

ELDERBERRY CORDIAL SPRITZER

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 ounce cordial into each of 6 Champagne flutes or tall narrow glasses, and top with 5 ounces wine. Serve immediately.

PASSIONFRUIT & ELDERFLOWER SPRITZ

Steps:

• Make sure all the ingredients are well chilled before you start. Ideally chill a flute glass too. Pour all of the ingredients into your glass, taking your time when you add the sparkling water so it doesn't overflow, then stir gently.
• Drop in a few passion fruit seeds to garnish and a lime leaf, if you like.

ELDERBERRY SYRUP

Steps:

• Pick the heads of plump elderberries on a sunny day and use a fork to strip the berries from their stalks. Wash the berries if you like, but this isn't necessary as they are going to be strained.
• Tip the berries into a saucepan and cover with about 1cm water. Add any extras like ginger or cloves, if you like. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 15-20 mins until the berries have softened into a liquid. Leave to cool slightly.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and measure how much liquid you have. For every 500ml of liquid, you'll need 400g of sugar. Tip the sugar and liquid back into the cleaned saucepan with the lemon juice. Bring up to a simmer and gently bubble for about 10 mins until all the sugar has dissolved. Leave the syrup to cool completely and bottle or freeze. Will keep for three months in the fridge or frozen for up to a year. It can be diluted with hot or cold water to drink, used in desserts or drizzled over ice cream.

ELDERBERRY CORDIAL

Steps:

• Stem and wash berries.
• cover with water and cook until very soft; strain.
• Measure juice; for each quart, add 2 cups of sugar.
• Return to saucepan.
• Tie spices in bag and add to sugar/juice mixture.
• Cook until thick.
• Cool, remove spices and measure again.
• Add 1 pint liquor for each quart of syrup.
• Bottle and cork tightly.
• Let sit in cool dark place for at least three weeks.
• Improves with age.