Elderflower Champagne Recipe - A fond memory of my childhood...

You know summer is finaly here when the elderflowers are blooming. They always remind me of the walks I used to take with my mum as a child.  We would walk along the country lane to the river and collect the elderflower blooms to make Elderflower Champagne.

My mum would use a big bucket with water, sugar, lemons and the flower heads and leave them overnight or a little longer.  She used plastic pop bottles to strain the fragrant liquid into (glass ones had exploded previously and the plastic one seemed to fair better).  She would keep the bottles in her wardrobe and we would wait impatiently for them to be ready.

It was always worth the wait, Elderflower Champagne is such a glorious taste of summer.  It really is summer in a glass.  If you have never tried it before I urge you to give it a go...

Elderflower Champagne

Ingredients

8-10 elderflower heads

4 cups sugar

3 pints of hot water

6 pints cold water

4 lemons

• Add the hot water and sugar to a large sterilised container and stir until dissolved
• Add the cold water and leave until completely cool
• Slice the lemons and add them along with the elderflower heads
• Leave covered for 24 to 48 hours, you should start to see bubbles forming on the surface when it's ready
• Strain through a muslin cloth into strong bottles
• Store somewhere cool and dark and leave for at least a week
• During this time if you are using glass bottles, it is recommended that you "Burp" them a few times a week to ensure the bottles don't explode.  This is simply releasing the pressure of the lid to allow some of the gas to escape.

Best enjoyed chilled with a slice of lemon, just add sunshine...

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I hope you will enjoy this recipe.  What fond memories do you have from your childhood?  Let me know in the comments below...

See you all soon

Catherine

x




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