Recipes
Crème de Sureau
Ingredients:
- Approximately 1kg elderberries
- 600ml elderberry juice
- 600ml vodka
- 300g granulated sugar
- 150ml water
- Juice of 1 lemon
Method:
Remove the elderberries from their stalks and rinse them thoroughly.
Put the elderberries into a large saucepan and gently simmer until the berries have softened and released their juice.
Strain the cooked berries through a jelly bag or fine sieve to extract the juice. You should have approximately 600ml of elderberry juice.
To make the sugar syrup, put the sugar and water into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Leave to cool.
Combine the elderberry juice, vodka, cooled sugar syrup and lemon juice.
Pour into a sterilised bottle or jar, seal and store somewhere cool and dark. Leave for several weeks to allow the flavours to develop, giving it a gentle shake occasionally.
Hedgerow Jam
A rich, fruity jam made from a mixture of berries and fruits gathered from the hedgerows at the end of summer. I love using whatever is ripe and ready to pick, making each batch slightly different.
Ingredients:
- 1kg mixed hedgerow fruit – blackberries, plums, damsons and elderberries
- 750g granulated sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
Method:
Prepare the fruit. Remove the stones from the plums and damsons and remove the elderberries from their stalks. Give all the fruit a good rinse.
Put the fruit into a larg pan and add the lemon juice.
Bring the fruit gently to a simmer and cook for around 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened and the juices have been released.
Add the sugar and stir gently until it has completely dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and continue boiling for around 10–15 minutes, stirring regularly.
Test for setting point by placing a little jam onto a cold saucer. Leave it for a minute, then push your finger through it. If the surface wrinkles, it is ready. If not, continue boiling for a few more minutes and test again, I add a little more lemon juice too to help it set.
Remove any foam from the surface and carefully spoon the hot jam into warm, sterilised jars.
Seal immediately and leave to cool.
Meadowsweet Cordial
Ingredients:
- Around 50 fresh meadowsweet flower heads
- 1 litre water
- 500g sugar
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 50g citric acid (available from most chemists)
Method:
Shake the meadowsweet gently to remove any insects.
Bring the water and sugar to a rolling boil for around two minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow it to cool until just warm.
Add the lemon slices, citric acid and meadowsweet.
Cover and leave to infuse for 24 hours.
Strain through muslin or a fine sieve.
Bottle and refrigerate, or freeze in ice cube trays.
Serve with sparkling water over ice, or add to a summer cocktail.
Elderflower Cordial
Elderflower season is one of my favourite moments of early summer. The flowers open across the fields and hedgerows. Making cordial from them has become a small yearly ritual for me. It’s simple, calming and fills the kitchen with the soft scent of June.
Below is the recipe I use at home. It makes a beautifully light cordial that keeps well for a few weeks in the fridge, and freezes perfectly in ice‑cube portions.
Ingredients
- 30 to 40 fresh elderflower heads
- 1 kg granulated or caster sugar
- 1.5 litres water
- 2 to 3 large lemons, scrubbed and sliced
- 50 g citric acid (you can get this from a chemist)
Method:
Prepare the flowers:
Pick the elderflowers on a dry, sunny morning when they are fully open. Gently shake them outside to remove any insects. Do not wash them, as the pollen holds much of the flavour. Trim away the thicker green stalks.
Make the syrup:
Place the sugar and water in a large pan and warm gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring it to a light boil for a minute or two, then remove from the heat.
Combine:
Allow the syrup to cool slightly until just warm. Add the citric acid, the sliced lemons and the elderflower heads. Make sure the flowers are fully submerged.
Infuse:
Cover the pan with a clean tea towel or lid and leave it to steep for 24 hours in a cool, dark place. Stir occasionally.
Strain:
Line a fine sieve with muslin and strain the mixture into a clean bowl. Press lightly on the flowers and lemons to release as much flavour as possible.
Bottle and store:
Pour the cordial into sterilised bottles or jars. Keep it in the fridge and use within a month. It also freezes well. Pour into containers or ice‑cube trays and freeze for longer storage.
Serving:
Dilute to taste with still or sparkling water. It is also lovely in a gin and tonic or a glass of cava on a warm evening.
Foraging notes:
Pick only real elderflowers (Sambucus nigra). They grow in flat, creamy white clusters with a gentle floral scent. Avoid any plants you are unsure of.
