These instructions can be used to make a very easy Elder flower syrup, or a slightly more complicated Elder Flower Elixir, your choice. The syrup is non-alcoholic. The elixir isn’t.
Elder Flower Elixir
Course: BeverageCuisine: HerbalDifficulty: EasyServingsservings
Prep time
1
hourCooking time
10
minutesCalorieskcal
These instructions can be used to make a very easy Elder flower syrup, or a slightly more complicated Elder Flower Elixir, your choice. The syrup is non-alcoholic. The elixir isn’t.
Ingredients
2 Cups Freshly harvested Elder flowers
or 1 Cup dried Elder flowers2 Cups water
1 Cup cane sugar
2 Cups vodka, optional
Citric acid, optional
Directions
- To make Elder flower Elixir, first harvest a basket of fresh Elder flower clusters. To make either a pint of syrup, or a quart of elixir, you will need 2 cups of flowers after they have been removed from the stems.
- Carefully, gently pull the delicate elder flowers from the delicate stems. I hold the cluster over a large mixing bowl while I remove the flowers, so that I don’t lose any of the tiny flowers. You don’t want any of the stems in your elixir. This is a great job to do while sitting on the porch !
- Next, loosely fill your jar with the flowers. If you are only making the syrup, you will need a pint jar. If you are making elixir, you will need a quart jar.
- If you are making elixir, pour 2 cups of vodka over the Elder flowers in the quart jar. If you are only making syrup, skip this step!
- In a non-reactive saucepan , combine 2 Cups of water and 1 Cup of cane sugar to make a simple syrup. Over medium heat, cook, stirring often until sugar is fully dissolved and liquid is no longer cloudy looking. It should have a clarity. Do not boil.
- Pour simple syrup into your jar. If you are making a syrup, you can add half a teaspoon of citric acid as a preservative. This is optional. If you are making the elixir the alcohol acts as a preservative, so there is no reason to add citric acid.
- Stir gently with a long handled spoon. Cover securely. Each day gently shake or rock to redistribute the flowers in the jar. After 2 weeks, strain through cheesecloth & bottle! Refrigerate syrup.
Notes
- You can use a tablespoon of either the syrup or the elixir to flavor a glass of mineral water. Or make a fancy cocktail or mocktail!
- This is a perfect drink for a hot summer day when you are feeling overheated. Elder flowers have the ability to move excess heat from our core out of the body to be released through the skin.
When I make an elderberry oxymel, I use elder-infused vinegar. You can do the same thing with elixirs and elder flower honey. You may have heard of elderberry wine, but there many ways to make wines using ingredients you probably have growing right in your own backyard. Check out these seven plants and let the winemaking begin!
When i make the elixir. Basically it is the flowers and vodka only, correct? The syrup requires the sugar, water. The citric acid? Do y I u have to leave any headspace in the jars. Receipe doesnt seem to clear
You can make either an elderflower syrup or an elixir using this recipe.
If you are making only a pint of syrup, you might want to add the citric acid as a preservative. You won’t add any vodka to the syrup. This is a non-alcoholic option.
If you are making a quart of elixir, you will use the pint of syrup as part of the elixir. The alcohol in the elixir will be the preservative, so there is no reason to add citric acid.
Leave an inch of headspace so that there is room to gently shake the ingredients. Be certain that all of the plant material is covered by the liquid.
Does this answer all of your questions?