English Elderberry Cordial
On the flipside of elderflower blooms, this fruit cordial is a great way to make the most out of the elder tree's highly nutritious berries at the end of summer.
The elder bush is common throughout Europe and North America, particularly well-known for its fragrant white blooms that blossom at the beginning of the summer. Although many people are familiar with the sprightly flavour of elderflower as a cordial, the dark purple elderberries that form on the bush at the end of the summer are often forgotten. These berries offer an excellent, deep grape flavour that works extremely well in jams and cordials. They are also highly nutritious, full of Vitamin C and antioxidants and one of the most nutritious wild berries in Britain. An important thing to note: raw elderberries are not edible. When chewed or crushed, their enzymes produce small amounts of hydrogen cyanide. The good news is, this chemical dissipates quickly once boiled, making any boiled or cooked elderberry product safe to eat. Please don’t let that put you off trying them, there is a trove of hidden flavour and nutrition waiting to be enjoyed in these berries at the end of every summer! Let’s go!
INGREDIENTS (makes 1x 800ml bottle)
450g elderberries, plucked
450ml water
320g caster sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
WALKTHROUGH
First, wash the elderberries very well in cold water to remove any dust. Using a dinner fork, tug the berries away from the stems and give them another rinse of water, ensuring no stalks, leaves or green berries remain.
Add 450g of the plucked elderberries to a pot along with 450ml of water. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the berries are softened.
Once soft, mash the berries well with a potato masher. Continue to simmer the fruit uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to eliminate any traces of hydrogen cyanide and render them safe for consumption.
Now let’s strain the juice. Place a kitchen towel or muslin cloth into a sieve and carefully pour the juice through it. Press the pulp with a spoon to extract as much juice as possible.
Transfer 400ml of the sieved elderberry juice (top up with water if you don’t have enough) back to the pot and add the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 320g of caster sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, or until all of the sugar has completely dissolved. Taste the cordial and add extra sugar or lemon juice to suit your taste.
Transfer the cordial to a clean bottle and seal it. It should keep a room temperature for 2-4 weeks, or in the fridge for 6-8 weeks. Once opened, store it in the fridge and consume within 2 weeks. Enjoy it with sparkling water, desserts or in cocktails.
