The delicate, deeply-scented, floral flavour of early summer. And the bonus that you get to feel deeply, contentedly smug about making it from scratch. It’s just the thing with sparkling water, a slice of lemon and a substantial slug of gin.
- 25 large, heavily pollen-y elderflower blossom heads (or 30 small ones)
- 2 lemons, zest pared in strips and then the fruit sliced
- 1 orange, sliced
- 2 kg granulated sugar
- 50g citric acid (or the juice of the lemons)
- Gently shake each of the elderflower heads outdoors (or over the sink) to remove any errant bugs
- Place in a large bowl with the sliced orange and lemon
- In a large saucepan on a low heat, dissolve the sugar in 1 litre of cold water
- Stir over the heat until the liquid is completely clear
- Then increase the heat to bring the syrup to the boil, then stir in the citric acid and pared lemon zest
- Pour the syrup over the elderflower, orange and lemon
- Cover the bowl with a big plate and set on one side in a cool place to steep for about 24 hours
- Strain into a jug, through a muslin-lined sieve, and them divide between sterilised jars or bottles
- Seal tightly and keep in a cool, dark place. Use within 2 months and refrigerate after opening
I love the early summer search for elderflowers, guided by the heady scent of a whole trees-worth of blossom. Bring sharp scissors to snip each nodding head at the base of the flowerhead straight into a plastic carrier bag. Go picking on a warm, sunny day – if you pick them after rain, much of the flavour of the blossoms will have been washed away.
Sophie cooks 