I’ve been delighted with the response to my blog on how to make Elderflower bubbly or cordial and many have downloaded the recipe to make their own. There’s also been a few questions -either in person down at the local grocery store or online so today I am going to answer some of those for you.
How do you get rid of the bugs that hitch a ride with the flowers?
Yes - life is teeming with abundance out there and its not only us humans who enjoy the flowers. I have found that if I lay down sheets of newspaper on an outside table (obviously not on a windy day) you can literally see them skedaddle off and disappear into the distance.
So that’s the first step. There is always the odd one or two that make it through the steeping process so all you do is strain it well when you are ready to bottle it. I use my household sieve and pop in an extra layer. For example, mutton cloth, muslin or even a clean cotton tea towel. That will eliminate any.
Can I make it in a metal bowl?
There is an acid content to the brew so do not use a reactive metal bowl like copper or cast iron. I normally make mine in a plastic bucket (preferably a food grade bucket) or a big china bowl. Or you can use stainless steel.
Is the elderflower bubbly alcoholic?
I used to think it wasn’t but of course there is an element of fermentation taking place between the wild yeasts on the flower itself and the sugar. So yes - there can be an alcoholic element. For us amateurs who only make it once a year, it would be hard to know how much exactly, but if you have a small batch and drinking fairly soon after its ready it might be 2-3%. Or if you leave it longer and have a particularly good fermentation it could be much higher than that.
So if you are worrying about giving it to the kids then I would suggest making the cordial and just adding soda water to make bubbly. Add some ice, a borage flower and a spring of mint and you have a lovely summery mocktail!
Final tip
Something I have taken to doing to extend the season is to pour some cordial into ice block trays and then pop the frozen blocks into a labelled and dated bag in the freezer. Once you open your cordial you will need to keep it in the fridge and drink in a few days so it doesn’t start fermenting so if you don’t think you are going to get it all drunk, then the frozen ones will keep well. Just defrost in the glass and later top up with more ice and soda. Freeze with a few sprigs of elderflower or a borage flower for added pleasure.
And if you haven’t downloaded your free copy of the recipe yet then just click here.