Food

Homemade elderflower cordial

June 30, 2014

If there is one thing, that reminds me of summer, it is elderflower cordial. The smell, the taste and the beautiful flowers are the essence of Danish summer to me. The elderflowers only bloom for a short period of time each year. Naturally I had to go elderflower picking. In Denmark you can find wild elderflower trees all around – even in the parks and green areas here in Copenhagen.

I thought I would share my recipe, as a few people asked for it on Instagram. I use all organic ingredients, and I use a mix of cane sugar and coconut palm sugar to keep my sugar intake down. Cane sugar has a much lower glycemic index, if you are into that sort of thing. If not, you can use all cane sugar.

The best elderflower cordial recipe

30 bouquets of elderflower
2 organic lemons
350 grams of organic cane sugar
300 grams of coconut palm sugar
2 tbsp citric acid
1,5 litters of water

Pour water into a big pot and toss the cane sugar and coconut palm sugar in. Heat it up and stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat. Stir in citric acid in as well.
Now cut the stems off the elderflowers and put the flowers into the pot. DO NOT wash them, as all the pollen on the flowers will add lots of taste. Then cut the lemons into thin slices and add to the pot.
Put the lit on and place in the refrigerator. Leave for 2-3 days.
Sift the cordial and pour into clean glass bottles.

The elderflower cordial will keep for a few weeks in the fridge. If you want it to last longer add a preservative or freeze some of it.

The cordial is strong so you need to add water or even better sparkling water 1:4 before drinking it.

Enjoy!

3 Comments

Rikke • that nordic feeling

Sunshine-loving coffee drinker, journalist and creative soul, curly-hared design-lover, aesthetician by heart, living in Copenhagen and always planning her next escape out into the world.

3 Comments

Reply Sis June 30, 2014 at 15:15

Interesting how little sugar you use. I am still on my way on lowering the sugar content in my elderflower brew. Have you tried adding either blueberries, rhubarb or strawberrries? It gives a wonderfull taste and rich red color. This year I made a mix of strawberries and Bourbon vanilla with the elderflowers.

Reply Rikke June 30, 2014 at 15:30
Hi! It’s true. I try to avoid sugar anywhere I can, so I’ve worked on reducing the amount in my recipe. That’s also why I use coconut palm sugar. I love rhubarb and vanilla – and strawberries too, but I haven’t tried adding them to the mix. I will do that next year :)