Tomorrow it’s the summer solstice! Today we are making everything elderflower in preparation. 

Here’s what we are making:

Elderflower Cordial 

Ingredients (makes about 2 litres):

• About 25 elderflower heads
• Finely grated zest of 3 unwaxed lemons and 1 orange, plus their juice (about 150ml in total)
• 1kg sugar
• 1 heaped tsp citric acid (optional)

Method:

1. Inspect the elderflower heads carefully and remove any insects. Place the flower heads in a large bowl together with the orange and lemon zest.
2. Bring 1.5 litres water to the boil and pour over the elderflowers and citrus zest. Cover and leave overnight to infuse.
3. Strain the liquid through a scalded jelly bag or piece of muslin and pour into a saucepan. Add the sugar, the lemon and orange juice and the citric acid (if using).
4. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer and cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Use a funnel to pour the hot syrup into sterilised bottles. Seal the bottles with swing-top lids, sterilised screw-tops or corks.

Elderflower Cake 

Ingredients:

• 100g butter
• 2 tbsp. light muscovado sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 eggs
• 200g gluten-free self-raising flour
• 125ml coconut milk
• 4 tbsp. elderflower cordial

For the glaze:

• 3 tbsp elderflower cordial
• 1 tbsp honey
• Juice of 1 lemon

To garnish:

• Lightly toasted coconut flakes

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a medium loaf tin and line the base with baking parchment.
2. Mix the butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs and lemon zest. Add the flour gradually.
3. Combine the milk with the cordial and add this to the batter. Stir it until smooth.
4. Tip the batter into the tin and place it in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
5. Mix together the glaze ingredients in a small pan and reduce it until you get a thick syrup.
6. Move the cake to a wire-rack.
7. Brush the hot cake with the glaze, top with the coconut flakes and leave to cool completely before slicing.

Elderflower Ice Lollies

Ingredients: 

• 5 tbsp (80 ml) lemon juice (approximately 2 lemons)
• 7 tbsp (100 ml) elderflower cordial
• 240 ml water
• 1 elderflower optional
• Lemon zest optional

Method:

1. Juice the lemons.
2. Mix the lemon juice, elderflower cordial and water.
3. If using, add a sprinkling of elderflowers and pinch of lemon zest into each lolly mould.
4. Pour in the elderflower and lemon mix. Leave a bit of room at the top for expansion.
5. Pop in your lolly sticks and freeze for 4-6 hours until fully frozen.
6. To loosen the lollies from the moulds, simply run under warm water.

Elderflower Vodka

Ingredients:

• 20 flower heads large elderflower heads
• 1 litre vodka
• 1 lemon, zested into strips
• 100 g sugar
• 100 ml water

Method:

1. Pick elderflowers on a sunny day just before noon for the best scent. Discard any with brown flowers.
2. Give each flower head a good shake to get rid of any creepy crawlies, although you will strain them out later.
3. Snip the tiny flower heads off the thick stalks, leaving only the thin stalks attached to the flowers.
4. Place in the sterilised jar, top with the lemon zest and pour the vodka in until it completely covers the lemon zest right to the limit of the jar. (This should prevent the flowers from turning brown but don’t worry as an odd few will only result in a darker liqueur and it won’t ruin the taste)
5. Place in a cool, dark place for two to four weeks.
6. Make a sugar syrup by gently heating the sugar with the water until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool before using.
7. Strain the elderflower, lemon and vodka liquid through a muslin cloth into a bowl.
8. Add half the sugar syrup and taste for sweetness before adding the remaining syrup if required. I use all of the syrup and I find it isn’t overly sweet.
9. Decant into clean sterilised bottles and leave for two months in a cool dark place to mature. (If you really can’t wait, it is okay for drinking now but it’s worth waiting the two months)

This elderflower vodka will keep for years, although I usually drink mine over the course of one year and I’m ready to make a new batch when the next year’s elderflowers are out!

I hope you give some of these elderflower recipes a try! 

Until tomorrow,

Chloe x

About Me

Hello, I’m Chloe. I’m a nutrition and health coach and I’m on a mission to inspire & support women so they can go from feeling fatigued to feeling fabulous! 

I help women who are FED up of being overweight, addicted to sugar and feeling tired ALL THE TIME to lose weight and optimise their health by fixing hormonal, digestive, autoimmune and energy issues.

My step-by-step programme, Revitalise, will help you lose weight, get back your energy, restore vitality and create lifelong health using the power of beautiful & delicious REAL FOOD. 

I’m here to make it easy for you to eat healthy, delicious food without counting calories or feeling deprived. You’ll reset your relationship with food, shift your mindset and build new habits for a complete health transformation!

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