Mrs Frugal Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Elderflower Champagne IS summer for me. I've been making it for years and it is wonderful. Elderflower Champagne 675g caster sugar 4.5 litres water 2 tbsp white wine vinegar finely pared rind and strained juice 1 lemon 4 large elderflower heads, flowers snipped from stems Pour the caster sugar into a large bowl or pan and add the water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the vinegar, lemon rind, juice and elderflowers. Cover and leave to stand for 48 hours. Strain through scalded muslin or a jelly bag and pour into clean screw top PLASTIC bottles and leave to stand for 3 weeks by which time it will have become wonderfully fizzy. Chill before serving. PLEASE DON'T USE GLASS BOTTLES AS IT CAN BECOME QUITE EXPLOSIVE!! Elderflower Cordial 1kg caster sugar 850ml boiling water 45g citric acid 15 large elderflower heads, flowers snipped from stems 2 lemons, sliced Put the caster sugar into a large bowl and add the boiling water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the citric acid and add the elderflowers and sliced lemons. Cover the bowl and leave to stand for 5 days, stirring daily. Put a sieve, lined with a piece of double thickness muslin into a large bowl and scald with boiling water and leave to drain. Strain the cordial through the muslin lined sieve into the bowl then pour into clean bottles. Store in the fridge where it will keep for up to a year. Serve diluted with either chilled still or sparkling water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazaddress Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 sounds lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 7, 2006 Author Share Posted June 7, 2006 Certainly is but do watch the champagne bottles! I use 500ml plastic water bottles and unscrew the lids every couple of weeks to let some of the fizz out. Alternatively pop the plastic bottles in the freezer 4-6 weeks from making the champange and defrost and drink when you're ready to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 23, 2006 Author Share Posted June 23, 2006 **Elderflower Champagne Warning** I've been making Elderflower Champagne for years and have always bottled it in either small 500ml or large 2 litre plastic water bottles as I know how dangerous exploding glass bottles are. I have just had a disaster! I'd forgotten to unscrew the top of the 2 litre bottle regularly which was on the top shelf of the larder while I waited for it to fizz up enough for drinking after making it. We were sat drinking coffee this morning when there was an almighty bang followed by a series of smashing sounds and dripping water. I ran into the kitchen to investigate and found that the plastic bottle had exploded, pushed the side out of the larder which in turn knocked a lovely old teapot off a shelf. This fell into and smashed a china bowl on the worktop while inside the larder, a tall glass pasta jar flew off the top shelf and smashed on the floor below! The larder is swimming in elderflower champagne and the surrounding floor and shelves are now sticky and covered in shards of glass and bits of antique tea pot . Make sure you release the tops of your elderflower champagne every now and then and make certain your bottles are strong enough!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Oh no Kate! It sounds just like a sketch off TV I hope you manage to sort it all out and sorry about your teapot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 23, 2006 Author Share Posted June 23, 2006 Everything is just SOOOOOOO sticky ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Oh Kate! what a disaster - you'll be finding sticky bits forever I was just going to post about my - very minor - mishap with my cordial....... Slightly different recipe but mostly the same. I decided to use a single layer of muslin as I only have a tiny piece left, bottled all the cordial and it looked lovely. I made some for Lauren and Jake and they started to drink but then said "it has flies in it" - I looked and couldn't see any and made them drink it. Next day, in brilliant sunshine - I noticed that there are tiny thunderflies in it Time for new glasses for me and more muslin so that I can use a double layer for the next batch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 23, 2006 Author Share Posted June 23, 2006 Bless these little children and their eagle eyes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 I forgot the best bit - I made it with golden caster sugar - Lauren eyed it suspiciously in the bottle and then asked me if it was wee Are you still finding elderflower champagne Kate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 (edited) I just found the following snippet in the Goodness Direct newsletter... Elderflowers - I noticed this little quote on a 'don't drink and drive' leaflet recently - 'Elderflower cordial is known to balance kidney functions. It also helps to relieve hay fever and clear catarrh, enhance immunity and cleanse the system'. So it is good stuff, and June is the time to make your own cordial Nice to know it is helping with my kidney problems Edited June 24, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 Elderflower Champagne still oozing through the cracked floor tiles! I bet there's still some on the shelves at the back of the larder too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Hope you don't attract ants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Oh Kate! Have you tried washing it all down with a solution of white vinegar/water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 The stickiness has just about gone now thanks, Mum. I've learned a valuable lesson and have been unscrewing the remaining bottles of champagne daily so I'll have the flattest elderflower champagne in the country but at least no more will explode! Wouldn't be without vinegar in my cleaning kit - wonderful stuff, isn't it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 It's elderflower time again! Yay!!! I'm going to start my champagne and cordial (and some proper wine this year too) off during half term . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 thanks for the reminder, will have to pop to delamere at the weekend and see if we can find any elder trees! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Ours aren't in flower yet - almost though....... - I'll be making cordial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 We have a small tree in our garden and several huge trees down the lane. I will be making the cordial this year and leaving some flowers for the berries to make apple and elderberry jelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I was just about to make some cordial when I noticed that you need citric acid. Where do you get that from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los Tres Pollos Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I was just about to make some cordial when I noticed that you need citric acid. Where do you get that from? A chemist, just got some from in the in-store pharmacy at Morrisons, 83p for 50g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I was just about to make some cordial when I noticed that you need citric acid. Where do you get that from? A chemist, just got some from in the in-store pharmacy at Morrisons, 83p for 50g Or anywhere that does home brewing supplies. There is a health food shop near us that stocks it (in the homebrew section). Or just use lemon juice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 Thank you for those recipes - and the warnings! We were looking at the elderflowers at the bottom of the garden yesterday and I was saying I must do something with them - I say it every year and never do. Trouble is we don't have many heads due to me hacking it back all the time - I knew you needed lots for the cordial, but the fizzy one sounds ideal. Off to the shops in the morning for some white wine vinegar. May as well drop in at the chemist for citric acid just in case! No excuses now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 8, 2008 Author Share Posted June 8, 2008 The fizzy one is lovely. Hope you enjoy it. I've bottled mine in old plastic 2l cola bottles and will keep them on the kitchen counter so I don't forget to release the lids this year!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I'm going to give this a go this year we have quite a large elderflower tree at the bottom of the garden I think I'll stick to the cordial, as I'd never remember to relaease the tops on the fizz Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 OH has nabbed all the 2 litre bottles for rainwater! I'll scrounge some little bottles instead somewhere under the stairs! Other than that I'll be going through the fizzy water tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
