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Five Great Elderberry Recipes
Hello! Autumn is here and the hedgerows are bursting with nuts, seeds, fruits and berries. So, today, we are going to discover five really great elderberry recipes. Elderberries are a really common hedgerow berry, rich in vitamin C, great for recovery from colds and flu and they taste delicious! So, are you ready to dive in and discover some elderberry recipes? Lets get started! Here are your quick links:
To make elderberry cordial, you will need:
- 500g elderberries
- 500ml water
- 350g sugar
- 1/2 a lemon rind and 1tbsp lemon juice
To make the cordial, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork and rinse them, then place them into a saucepan with the lemon rind. Next, cover them with water and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the berries are soft and mushy.
Next, strain the liquid and place it back into the pan. Add the sugar and lemon juice, then bring to a gentle boil and simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. You can then add more sugar or lemon juice according to your taste, before allowing the cordial to cool. Once it has completely cooled, pour it into a clean bottle to store.
If sealed and stored correctly in a cool, dark place, your cordial should last about 2 years. But, keep it refrigerated once opened.
Elderberry Vinegar
To make elderberry vinegar, you will need:
- 500ml white vinegar
- 350g elderberries
- Sugar
To make the vinegar, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork and rinse them, then pour them into a jar. Add enough vinegar to completely submerge your elderberries, then leave to stand for about 5 days, shaking or turning every day.
Next, strain the liquid and measure it out, then place into a pan. Add 350g sugar for every 260ml of liquid that you strained, then bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow the vinegar to cool, then strain it into a clean bottle or jar. Voila! Elderberry vinegar.
To make elderberry syrup, you will need:
- 500g elderberries
- 500g sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Optional spices, like ginger or cloves
To make the syrup, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork, rinse them, then pour them into a saucepan and cover with about 1cm of water. Add any extra spices, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes until the berries are soft.
Next, strain the liquid and measure it out, then place it back into a pan. Add 400g of sugar for every 500ml of liquid that you strained. Then, add the lemon juice and bring the whole mixture back to a gentle boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Then, allow the syrup to cool completely, before pouring it into a clean bottle.
If sealed and stored correctly, your syrup should last for about 3 months in the fridge, or up to a year if you freeze it.
To make elderberry jelly, you will need:
- 500g elderberries
- 500g pectin or jam sugar
To make the jelly, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork, rinse them, then pour them into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes until the berries are soft.
Next, strain the liquid and measure it out, then place it back into a pan. Add 500g of sugar for every 500ml of liquid that you strained. Then bring the liquid back to a gentle boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, bring it back to a boil again, then once boiling, time it for 4 minutes. Then, remove your jelly from the heat, pour it into a clean jar.
Your jelly should last for about 1 year is sealed and stored correctly in a cool, dark place. But once opened, keep it refrigerated.
To make elderberry jelly, you will need:
- 500g elderberries
- 400g pectin or jam sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
To make the jam, first strip the berries from their stalks using a fork, rinse them, then pour them into a saucepan and gently mash to release some juice. Next, add the sugar and lemon juice and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly. make sure to remove any scum from the surface.
Test if the jam is ready by placing a small amount on a freezing cold plate in the fridge for a few minutes. If a skin forms over it, the jam is ready. If not, then continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes and re-try.
Once the jam is ready, remove it from the heat and pour into clean jars. The jam should keep for about 1 year if sealed and stored correctly in a cool, dark place. But, once opened, keep it in the fridge.
Summary
Well, there we go! Five great elderberry recipes; five delicious recipes to try out. I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. If you would like to meet more of our common hedgerow berries, you can check out this post. Or, to be notified about new nature nook tutorials, you can subscribe to My Nature Nook by clicking the button below x
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Disclaimer: Please note, these guides are affiliate links, so I may recieve a small commission if you choose to purchase any item. This will not affect the price you pay, but it will help me keep this site going x
