Capture the fragrance of early summer with this beautifully floral Elderflower & Rose Cordial. Fresh elderflower blossoms are gently infused with delicate rose petals and brightened with fresh lemon juice to create a refreshing drink that tastes like an English hedgerow in full bloom.

Simple to make and wonderfully versatile, this cordial can be diluted with still or sparkling water for a cooling summer drink, stirred into cocktails, drizzled over fresh berries, or used to flavour cakes, desserts and homemade ice creams. Its light floral sweetness also makes it a beautiful ingredient for celebrating seasonal gatherings.

Making your own cordial is a lovely way to preserve the fleeting elderflower season, allowing you to enjoy its unique flavour long after the blossoms have disappeared.

Makes: Approximately 1 litre

Foraging note: Harvest elderflowers on a warm, dry day when the flowers are fully open and fragrant. Pick from clean locations away from busy roads, and leave plenty of blooms behind so they can develop into elderberries for birds and other wildlife later in the year.

Elderflower & Rose Cordial (1 Litre)

Ingredients

• 10 fresh elderflower heads
• Small handful dried rose petals
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 250g sugar
• 1 litre water

Method

1. Place the elderflower heads and dried rose petals in a large heatproof bowl.
2. Bring the water to a gentle simmer and stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.
3. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.
4. Pour the hot syrup over the elderflowers and rose petals.
5. Cover and leave to infuse for 24 hours 
6. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin, pressing gently to extract all the liquid.
7. Pour into sterilised bottles and store in the fridge.

To Serve

Dilute to taste with still or sparkling water. It also makes a lovely addition to cocktails, desserts, fruit salads, or drizzled over summer berries. 🌼🌹🍋

If you’re planning to keep it for more than a week or two, I’d add 1 tsp citric acid to help preserve it and brighten the flavour.