Elderflower Syrup

 

Elderflower Syrup

The flavors of elderflowers can be captured in a simple syrup and used in cocktails, as a base for sorbets, poured over cakes or baked into custards.  Makes 1 quart.

Ingredients:                                     

3 cups water
3 cups sugar
3 ounces dried elderflowers or 4 tablespoons fresh elderflowers, stripped from the stem, green parts removed
½ teaspoon citric acid (optional)
1 lemon, sliced

Directions:
Make a 1 - 1 simple syrup, heating the water and stirring in the sugar until dissolved.

Place the destemmed elderflowers in a quart-size jar. Add citric acid, (if using) and sliced lemon. Syrup made without citric acid will not keep for more than a week without fermenting; the addition of citric acid makes it keep longer.  

Once the syrup is cooled, pour it over the elderflower mixture. Allow this to infuse in the fridge for 24–48 hours; any longer may induce fermentation due to the presence of wild natural yeasts on the elderflowers.

Strain the flowers and lemon from the syrup. Store in a clean quart-size jar or clamp-topped jar.

Makes 1 quart.