Unlock the Sweetest Secrets of Homemade Elderflower Syrup

A sunny long weekend is the perfect time for a trip to nature, and if that means a walk through the woods or meadows for you, you’ll very likely come across beautiful elderflowers. Grab a bag, pick them, and make your own syrup again this year. The preparation isn’t hard or complicated, and sterilizing the bottles will probably take up most of your time. But once you get all the technical stuff done and your kitchen smells sweetly of elderflower, you’ll be very proud of yourself.

And then you can use the syrup in many different ways. Besides making juice, which is always a favorite at any gathering, you can add elderflower syrup to cake creams, even sponges, and it’s especially nice as a topping for ice cream. If you make your own ice cream, you can always add it to the base, and if you use store-bought, just a few drops of elderflower syrup with a little lemon juice on top of a scoop will work wonders.

You can also marinate fruit in elderflower syrup, which you then serve as a decoration on other desserts or mix into sponge cake batter. Strawberries marinated in elderflower are a great idea, but in summer, peaches or apricots will work well too. Simply prepare a liquid from elderflower syrup, spices like thyme and pepper, add a little lemon juice, and let the fruit soak in this mixture for at least half an hour.

You can add elderflower syrup to panna cotta and other creamy desserts and pair them with fresh fruit, and a little syrup in your favorite cocktail is always a great idea.

Besides sweet dishes, you can also add elderflower syrup to salad dressings, and when preparing the syrup, you can set some flowers aside, soak them in vinegar, let it all sit together for about two weeks (feel free to taste it in the meantime), and you’ll get a fine, aromatic elderflower vinegar, which you can then transfer to sterilized bottles and store in a dark, dry place for up to a year.

HOMEMADE ELDERFLOWER SYRUP

You will need:

30 fresh elderflower heads

2 kg sugar

4 organic, unwaxed lemons

2 l boiled and cooled water

Preparation:

Put the sugar in a large pot and pour water over it. Add the lemons cut into smaller pieces and bring everything to a boil. It’s important that the sugar dissolves well. Remove from heat and let the liquid cool well. Pour the cooled liquid over the elderflowers. Cover the pot with a clean gauze and leave it to stand for at least two days at room temperature. After two days, strain the syrup into glass bottles and store in a dark, cool place.

Extra tip! Besides juice, you can add elderflower syrup to compotes, iced tea, or use it to flavor fruit salad. Also, you can add mint leaves to the syrup itself, which will give it an extra refreshing note.