Valkyrie Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 We tested the smallest bottle today, just enough for 2 glasses. Delish! DD tried my glass, and promptly downed the lot - well after I had 2 sips and she left a drop! OH guarded his. So a big THANK YOU for that recipe, now I can't wait for next year. I'll be ready with the bottles then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 just started a batch of champagne, using this recipe http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/elderflower-champagne-recipe_p_1.html no offence Kate it's just that we had a big bag full of umbels to use up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 So far 6 bottled up and more fermenting ready to go into bottles tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Just started my first batch of cordial Thanks so much for your lovely recipe Kate. I'm making much more cordial/ less champagne than last year as it takes up less freezer room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I just started mine today too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Make that five bottles - I miscounted, but I've already had to let some fizz out - it didn't do that last year until just before we glugged it all! The other batch is HFW's recipe - starting to ferment now and we should bottle it on Friday. I've run out of pans and I keep looking at the flower heads and hoping they will last. I shall check out the freezing suggestions in this section somewhere. Poet's link wouldn't work for me but I found this: "Yes you can-just pop the bunches in a plastic bag and freeze--and the flowers tend to fall off saving all that faffing around" - on another forum somewhere after I googled it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I just printed the recipe and got all nine pages of the thread I am sure that all the advice will be useful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ygerna Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Started the Elderflower champagne today Noticed that my neighbour has an elder in the driveway, so I am going to knock later and ask if I can nab some, in exchange for a bottle or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 our champagne doesn't have any froth on it so we added a pinch of (wine) yeast last night. Haven't checked it yet today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 The Elder in my garden still hasn't blossomed However sitting in my mum's today I spotted loads of it! I picked some and I now have my first batch of elder flower champagne in a pan (hopefully) fermenting. I must pick up some more sugar and some plastic bottles. Can't wait for three weeks time, fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Am making the cordial at the moment. I used a recipe from Waitrose Food Illustrated. It says you can use tartaric acid (aka cream of tartar) instead of citric acid. Cream of tartar is widely available in the baking supplies section of the supermarket. Thought this might be of interest. Also it says to leave to steep for only 24 hours, so I am wondering how long to leave it...perhaps I should have a taste and see? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 The ash tree in my back garden is going to be felled due to work on the drains and I was thinking of replacing it with an elderflower bush. Unfortunately, elderflower is one of the plants that is poisonous to chickens. Just thought I would mention it here. Three houses down the road there is one in bloom. Time to call with a box of eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Am making the cordial at the moment. I used a recipe from Waitrose Food Illustrated. It says you can use tartaric acid (aka cream of tartar) instead of citric acid. Cream of tartar is widely available in the baking supplies section of the supermarket. Thought this might be of interest. Also it says to leave to steep for only 24 hours, so I am wondering how long to leave it...perhaps I should have a taste and see? Double dare you! Let us know how it goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I have a question I am now going to do the Champagne,Hughs recipe. When it say to add yeast, is that Brewers yeast, & is that different to the dry bread yeast you get in supermarkets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 We just put in a pinch of ordinary yeast as it wasn't fermenting on its own. Works fine. The only problem with Hugh's was that ours ended up very sweet and fizzy, so we are using it like cordial and diluting with fizzy water about a quarter to a third of a glass and top up - still have to undo the bottle that is left to release the pressure. I think he only uses it to make a fizz in a short space of time, whereas Kate's version is slower to mature - and the right sweetness too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutlandRooster Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 The view from our kitchen window has been tempting me for a while . . . so dug out Hugh's trusted book and made a few bottles of cordial . . . may add some fizz to the next batch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Im flitting about between 4 different elderflower threads and getting confused My elderflower champagne 'a la Kate' smells lovley but there is no froth at all. What do you suggest? It has had 24 hours so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Leave it for a bit longer . My recipe doesn't develop a froth like HFW's as it has no extra yeast added. The fizz comes from natural yeasts in the elderflowers. If it's only been brewing for 24 hours, it won't have developed that fizz yet. It needs to stand for 48 hours before bottling - even then, it won't have any froth on top and will look very much like a less syrupy version of the cordial. Once it's bottled, it will gradually build up some sparkle which will be nice and fizzy by the time it's ready to drink 3 weeks later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Thankyou Kate fpr the advice. I hadnt expected froth but was worried after reading the thread that it wasnt doing something it was supposed to. It does smell really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 I hope it turns out to be delicious . I love the first glass of elderflower champagne of the year, especially when it fizzes into your glass like real champers! Scrummy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I'm glad i've seen your comments about your champagne Kate. I was getting worried and was thinking i might add some yeast to make it look like its doing something. However now i'll wait and see. Does it stop smelling of the white wine vinegar? Mine seems to smell quite strongly of it? I'm wishing this recipe to work, i tried the recipe last week and washed the flowers and then read that washing the flowers was bad because its the natural yeast on the elderflowers that makes it go fizzy. Does it go fizzy everytime? Emma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Mine sounds the same as Missuscluck, smells delicious but looks very flat! I was tempted to add yeast but I'll take my chances and see! Time for me to strain and bottle up! Sunshine, I'm just checking, how much white wine vinegar did you use? I thought mine would smell of vinegar but there isn't a trace of it. In fact I was trying to remember if I had put enough in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 I'm glad i've seen your comments about your champagne Kate. I was getting worried and was thinking i might add some yeast to make it look like its doing something. However now i'll wait and see. Does it stop smelling of the white wine vinegar? Mine seems to smell quite strongly of it? I'm wishing this recipe to work, i tried the recipe last week and washed the flowers and then read that washing the flowers was bad because its the natural yeast on the elderflowers that makes it go fizzy. Does it go fizzy everytime? Emma Hi Emma, I've been using this recipe for years and it always goes fizzy. Some years it's fizzier than others too - veeeerrrry fizzy!! The vinegar smell goes when it's bottled so when you open it after the resting period, it smells of lemons and elderflowers. Don't wash the elderflowers as that does get rid of the pollen. Just tap them lightly to get rid of any wildlife . I've never needed to yeast to this recipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Gibson Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 4 large elderflower heads, flowers snipped from stems Hi Kate This thread has just caught my eye. I quite fancy making some of this, do I snip just the flowers and use them? Is there a point when the flowers are past there best and not good to use? Sounds like a silly question .... sorry just wondered if you had to catch them before in full bloom so to speak .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 (edited) Am making the cordial at the moment. I used a recipe from Waitrose Food Illustrated. It says you can use tartaric acid (aka cream of tartar) instead of citric acid. Cream of tartar is widely available in the baking supplies section of the supermarket. Thought this might be of interest. Also it says to leave to steep for only 24 hours, so I am wondering how long to leave it...perhaps I should have a taste and see? Hi hope you don't mind me sticking my nose in here. "Cream of Tartar" and "Tartaric Acid", although they come from the same base (Cream of Tartar comes from Tartaric Acid) , they are not autimaticaly interchangeable. Tartaric Acid is much stronger. You can buy it from home brew shops. Some cookshops in the US sell them as the same thing, and probably for that little bit of zing they are loooking for, cream of tartar is OK. But in brewing, you need Tartaric Acid, as you're killing bugs not just pepping up. It's definitely Tartartic Acid that you need for this. Edited June 16, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
