Syrups
Elderflower syrup is summer captured in a bottle – light, floral, and brimming with the fragrance of sunlit hedgerows
INGREDIENTS
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20 heads of Elderflowers
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500ml boiling water
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750g white sugar (I know this seems like a lot but remember that it can be diluted after making)
HOW TO
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Begin by giving the elderflower heads a cool rinse in cold water, then pat them carefully dry – as if tucking away their freshness for safekeeping.
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In a large pan, bring water to a lively boil and stir in the sugar until it melts into a clear, glistening syrup. Slip in the blossoms and let them steep for about five minutes, stirring often so every petal releases its perfume into the syrup.
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When the kitchen smells like a hedgerow in full bloom, strain the liquid through muslin. A fine sieve will do in a pinch, though a few tiny flecks of blossom may remain.
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Decant the golden syrup into clean bottles, and there you have it – summer preserved.
NOTES FROM THE KITCHEN
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A splash stirred into cool water or lemonade makes the gentlest refreshment.
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Poured over vanilla ice cream, it tastes like sunshine on a spoon.
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And for something truly special: add 100ml of elderflower syrup to 1 litre of gin – the very essence of summer in a glass