Elderflower Syrup

Gluten-Free, Vegetarian & Vegan, Condiments & Canning, Drinks
Making your own elderflower syrup is a BREEZE! Mix it with seltzer and lime for a delish beverage. You could throw some vodka or tequila in that too! If you don’t have an elderberry tree, find the flowers by foraging or friend with one.
Elderflower Syrup

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Elderflower Lemon Curd
  • 1 1/2 quarts water
  • 6 cups sugar
  • 2 lemons, juice and zest
  • 1 lime, juice and zest
  • 1 orange, juice and zest
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
  • 40 elderflower heads, stems removed DO NOT WASH THEM!

Directions

  1. How To Prepare The ElderflowersUse only perfect elderflower blooms to make this syrup. Don’t use withered or browned flowers.
  2. To clean the flower heads, lay them on a piece of newspaper when you pick them to let the spiders and bugs escape. Shake the flowers gently if it seems the bug don’t want to leave.
  4. Make a simple syrup from the water and the sugar by pouring boiling water over the sugar, a large heat-proof vessel and stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  5. Grate the rind of the lemons with a fine grater, add to the sugar water.
  6. Stir remaining ingredients into the simple syrup.
  7. Cover with cheesecloth and steep for 48 hours.
  8. Strain through clean cheesecloth into a clean bowl.
  9. Sterilized jars or bottles.
  10. Carefully fill jars and bottles with the syrup. Keep them in the refrigerator. (See note)
Total time:
Yield: About 2 quarts

Notes

Elderflower heads vary in size so 40 heads is an approximate amount.

To sterilize bottles and jars: Preheat oven to 325°. Clean bottles and jars with soapy water and rinse well. Place them upright on roasting pan or sheet pan lined with wet paper towel. Make sure they are not touching each other. Bake at 325° F for 10 minutes. Cool jars slightly before filling.

You can use any combo of citrus fruits in addition to the lemons.

I use this as a base for my Elderflower Lemon Curd.

Elderflowers have a natural yeast in them which ferments with the sugar. I found that the bottles exploded when I kept them at room temperature, so I keep them in the fridge.