Auntie Elsie’s Elderflower Cordial

With its heady scent and frothy cream-coloured blooms, the flowering of the Elder tree is considered by many to signal the start of summer.

If the appearance of Elderflowers is a reminder of the changing seasons, then those who have tried recipes made using the flowerheads will no doubt associate their deliciously fragrant flavour with the British summertime too.

While the Elderberries that form later in the season are often collected in the autumn to make wine and jam, many people overlook the Elderflowers. Yet, they were once prized as an ingredient in a wide range of recipes, as well as for their medicinal properties.

At one time, it was even thought that the Elder, a native of the British Isles, had magical properties and could ward off evil spirits.

Elder trees grow in abundance throughout the hedgerows and woodlands of Yorkshire, and they’re just starting to come into flower.

If you want to try using the flower heads as an ingredient, then this cordial recipe is a great place to start. It’s a family favourite given to me several years ago by my Auntie Elsie.

The flower heads are at their best when picked on a warm, dry day, when they’re in full bloom and laden with pollen. Try to avoid picking them from alongside busy roads, where they will be dirty and tainted with pollution from passing cars.

Although you may feel the need to wash the flower heads, it’s actually better not to. A good shake to get rid of any little insects is enough.

Ingredients

25 Elderflower heads

3lb caster sugar

2oz citric acid (available from some chemists and shops or websites selling jam-making equipment)

Two sliced lemons

2 and-a-half pints of boiling water

Method

Tip the sugar into a large bowl and add the boiling water, then leave to cool. Add the other ingredients and press the Elderflower heads firmly into the liquid. Cover the bowl and leave it for 48 hours, giving it a good stir from time to time.

Strain the cordial and bottle it. It can be stored for several months.

When diluted with water, this cordial is delicious served chilled over ice with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint. It can also be frozen to a slush to make a refreshing sorbet or even used with gin as an alternative mixer.

And here's this year's batch, made at the weekend with the help of my God daughter, Jodie: