I recently conjured up the effort to make elderflower cordial for the first time, one task that has been on my to-do list for donkeys’ years now. Although sixth form life is hectic, with the recent situation of being in lockdown, I thought I’d treat myself and do it and I did. It was much easier than anticipated and is appetizing.

So if you want a recipe that makes a delicious home-made, natural drink then look no further, here is a straightforward step-by-step guide. (I must give credit to my friend’s mum who gave me the recipe.)

You will need:

• 20 elderflower heads
• 1150ml of water
• 1350g of granulated sugar
• 30g of citric acid
• 2 limes
• 2 lemons
• 2 oranges

1. Pick around 20 elderflower heads

Trust me, it’s not as sinister as it sounds. Although this may seem like a piece of cake, it is surprising how people leave out of the small print that you may get stung, cut and attacked by greenery. Make sure to shake off any bugs as well before entering the house as you don’t want to make a mess before you’ve even started brewing.

 2. Bath time

Lay out a few pages of newspaper and put all of the heads on it.  Swoosh each flower head in a bowl of cold water to get rid of any further bugs and then placed them in a clean bowl. Using scissors, cut off as much of the stem as possible so you’re only left with a few short stalks. The bowl should then be placed where you’re working.

View this post on Instagram

I finally made elderflower cordial 🙌🏻✨ I’ve wanted to do that for a long time and it turns out it’s actually really easy to make! Thought I’d push the boat out and add some fresh fruit 🍓🌿 Happy Sunday everyone x (Tagged are the two lovely people who helped me through the process!!) : : : : #forgetmenotflo #homesweethome #countrylife #countrylifestyle #outdoors #country #suffolk #blogging #joules #hollister #qubasails #qubaandco #summervibes #sundayvibes #elderflower #elderflowerpicking #gardenphotoshoot #elderflowercordial #strikeapose

A post shared by ❀ ❀ ❀ (@forgetmenotflo) on Jun 14, 2020 at 1:15am PDT

 3. Add your water and sugar

This means pouring 1150ml (or 1.15 litres if you prefer) of water into a large saucepan. Then add what feels like a diabetes-inducing amount (1350g) of granulated sugar into the pan and turn up the heat so it is about to boil.

4. In go the flowers

Add them to the thick boiling mixture that should look a tad like honey and once in, remove from the heat. Give it a good stir and set aside.

5. When things get a little fruity

Thinly slice two limes, two oranges and two lemons. Add these to a very large saucepan and then drizzle over 30g of citric acid. When ready, add the flowers and honey-like liquid mix and stir well.

6. Let it do its magic

Cover with a tea towel and leave for 24 hours. Make sure to put it out of the way as it does have a strong smell.  As tempting as it is to do it earlier, please leave it for 24 hours to infuse.

7. Nearing the finish line

With some tongs, remove and discard the fruit. Then get a funnel and place an old handkerchief on top. Strain into a bowl in case you have to strain for a second time. Once you have finished, pour into sterilised bottles or even into a beverage dispenser if you want to be extra fancy.

8. Cherry on top

Pour a very small amount into a glass as it needs diluting. I added fresh fruit to my drink for a pop of colour.

And there you have it, a simple guide on making fresh elderflower cordial (below is a picture of mine). Good luck and please leave a comment if you do try it – I’d love to see how you get on.