3 minute read

Elderflower Recipes

from Causeway April 2021

by Causeway Magazine Thorp Arch and Walton

from Causeway April 2021, page 15

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All being well when this goes to print the Elderflower blossoms will be starting to come into bloom!

We have three Elderflower bushes in our garden so I have made both Elderflower cordial and Elderberry syrup during the time we have lived here, I try where possible when I’m making recipes to reduce the sugar content or use unrefined sugar alternatives, I have used honey in the elderflower cordial as I found this to be a suitable alternative - nothing fancy needed just a standard runny honey will do.

Elderflower Cordial

Ingredients

15 heads elderflower (about a cup of blossoms) 2 unwaxed organic lemons, sliced 500ml honey / 750ml water

Remove the blossoms from the elderflower heads, discarding as much stem as possible, and place them into a large bowl. Add the lemons and honey. Heat the water in a saucepan or kettle until just simmering, but not boiling. Pour the hot water over the honey and use a wooden spoon to stir until the honey dissolves fully. Once cooled add the elderflower heads.

Place a muslin or tea towel over the bowl and set in a cool, dark place. Let it steep for 2-3 days, checking after the second day. If you’d like it to be stronger, leave until day three. Once the cordial is finished steeping, strain it through a fine-meshed sieve and pour into sterilized jars or bottles. Keep in the refrigerator for up to a month, or freeze for longer storage. Similarly, the cake can be made with sugar alternatives, I first made this one when I ran my local areas “Clandestine Cake Club” (no longer in operation but a lovely excuse to bake and eat cake and very popular at the time) We had the theme of summer drinks for the meeting and I choose Elderflower and this cake as I had just started to eat gluten free.

Elderflower Crunch Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

175g Sugar (or coconut sugar or agave syrup) 175g Butter (softened to room temperature) 3 eggs / 75g Almonds / 140g Buckwheat Flour 2 tsp baking powder / 1 tbsp Elderflower cordial

Topping

Three tbsp Elderflower cordial Three tbsp granulated sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C or Gas Mark 6. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin

2. Mix together butter and sugar with electric beater or by hand until very light and fluffy. 3. Beat the eggs with a fork then add slowly continuing to beat until thoroughly mixed in. 4. Fold in the almonds, flour and baking powder followed by the cordial. Mix until combined but be careful not to beat out the air.

5. Pour into your prepared tin and cook for 4550 mins until springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean.

6. Mix together the cordial and sugar, poke holes all over the cake and pour over as much as you like so that the drizzle can soak into the cake and then leave to cool.

The cake is also delicious still warm! Enjoy!