Make honey, syrup or jam from elderflowers. It’s really simple!

Elderberry has many health benefits.

However, you don’t have to buy only expensive food supplements at the pharmacy.

Sometimes you can help yourself.

For example, by picking flowers yourself and making juice, lemonade or tea from them.

Get inspired by our 6 elderberry recipes and enjoy them

Elderberry jam

Learn how to make elderflower jam with apple or orange juice. They are delicate and incredibly aromatic and everyone will love them!

Ingredients

• 8-10 large elderflowers
• 750 ml pure apple juice with no added sugar (or orange juice with no added sugar)
• 500 g of granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon of pectin
• 1 lemon

Method

1. Shake the flowers over the sink to remove any insects or dust.
2. Place in a large bowl and cover with juice.
3. Cover the bowl and let it sit in a cool place (not in the fridge) for 24 hours.
4. Place a small plate in the freezer; you will need it to check if the jam has set.
5. Sterilize the jars and lids and place them upside down on a clean kitchen towel.
6. Strain the flavored juice through a fine sieve into a large saucepan.
7. Add lemon juice.
8. Mix the sugar and pectin in a small bowl.
9. Always follow the instructions on the package of your pectin!
10. If the instructions for the amount of pectin needed, the method of use, or the cooking time differ from those in the recipe, follow the instructions on the package.
11. Whisk the sugar and pectin mixture into the juice in the saucepan.
12. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
13. Once the mixture begins to boil, cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
14. Remove the pot from the heat.
15. Pour a few drops of jam on the plate you had in the freezer.
16. If they harden almost immediately, the jam is ready.
17. If they remain runny after a minute, cook the jam for another minute and check again.
18. Do not overcook or it will harden too much.
19. Pour the jam into sterilized jars.
20. It is preferable to use a canning funnel; this makes filling more manageable and safer.
21. Close the jars and let them cool.
22. Store in a dark, cool place such as a basement or pantry.
23. Lasts at least 6 months to 1 year.
24. Once you open the jar, refrigerate and use within 2-3 weeks.

Elderflower tea

Make a relaxing and soothing elderberry tea that tastes absolutely amazing! It is beautifully fragrant and you can prepare it from fresh or dried elderflowers.

Ingredients

• 2-3 large elder flowers or 4 teaspoons of dried elder flowers
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 small lemon
• honey (optional)

Method

1. Shake the flowers over the sink to remove any insects or dirt (washing them is not recommended).
2. Put them in a small pot or kettle.
3. Boil water in the kettle and pour the flowers over it.
4. Leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
5. Add lemon juice and honey to taste.
6. If you are making tea from dried flowers, use about 2 teaspoons per cup.
7. The procedure is the same.

Elderberry syrup

This syrup is excellent diluted with water. Its luxurious specific taste is due to the raw material used – fresh flowers. Prepare it yourself!

Ingredients

• 40 elder flowers
• 80 g of citric acid
• 3 lemons
• 2 kg of granulated sugar

Method

1. Wash the plucked elderflowers carefully so as not to wash off all the pollen.
2. Boil about 2 and a half liters of water, pour in the citric acid and let it cool.
3. Put the flowers and the washed lemon cut into circles in a tall container and pour cooled water with citric acid.
4. Cover with a tea towel and leave to infuse for 24 hours.
5. After this time, strain the infusion through a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth into a pot.
6. Pour sugar in the ratio of 1 liter of liquid per 1 kg of sugar.
7. Heat and stir occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved and bubbles begin to rise from the bottom of the pot.
8. Immediately pour the hot liquid into pre-prepared sterilized bottles, close with lids and leave to cool – preferably upside down.
9. Store syrup bottles in a dark and cool place.
10. Unopened syrup should last up to 365 days, after opening in the refrigerator for a maximum of a week.

Elderflower liqueur

This elderberry liqueur is absolutely luxurious and goes perfectly with mineral water. Playfully create the perfect summer cocktail!

Ingredients

• 20-30 fresh elderflowers (dried also work)
• 750 ml of vodka
• 3 slices of lemon
• 1/4-1/2 cup honey or sugar (optional)

Method

1. Cut the elderflowers from the stem into a pint glass so that it is almost full.
2. Pour vodka over the flowers and place lemon slices on top so that the flowers stay under the vodka.
3. Cover the jar with a lid and put it in a cool, dark place for 2-4 weeks.
4. Strain the elderflowers through a fine sieve, then add honey or sugar as desired and mix or shake well.
5. You can consume the liqueur immediately or feel free to let it mature longer.
6. Enjoy it!

Elderberry lemonade

Prepare a fresh elderflower lemonade, which is excellent just when it starts to fizz a little.

Ingredients

• 4 elderflowers
• 200 g of granulated sugar
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon of citric acid
• 3 liters of boiled water

Method

1. Pour sugar and citric acid into cooled boiled water.
2. Add the sliced ​​lemon and elderflowers.
3. Leave in a large jar, which you cover with a cloth, in a sunny place for about 3 to 5 days.
4. Stir the liquid occasionally.
5. Then strain and store in the refrigerator.

Elder honey

Elderflower honey tastes great and is really easy to make. Try something new in your kitchen!

Ingredients

• ½ cup raw honey
• ½ cup fresh or dried elderflowers

Method

1. Mix about ½ cup of honey with ¼ cup of elderflower.
2. Store in a cool, dark place and turn the jar every day for two weeks to keep the flowers moving around in the honey (without dirtying a bunch of spoons).
3. The flowers can be strained or left as they are edible.
4. Honey from fresh flowers lasts about 2 weeks.
5. Honey from dried flowers can last up to 2 months.

How to properly collect elderberry flowers

• The elderflower season is relatively short, from mid-May to the end of June , depending on where you live and the weather in a particular year.
• Collect flowers only from bushes growing off road traffic , so that the flowers are as pure as they can be.
• The flowers should be large and fully open and their fragrance should be strong.
• If possible, pluck the flowers on a sunny day at noon ; that’s when their fragrance is at its best.
• Do not collect them if they are wet ; wait until the sun comes out and they are dry again.
• Move from one bush to another and pick just a few flowers from each ; they are important for insects and birds.
• Pluck them below the head where all the small stems meet the large stem.
• Shake well , once at the collection point before putting them in the basket and a second time in the sink before you want to use them to get rid of any insects.
• Better not to wash the flowers ; if you do, it will lose some of its flavor.
• If you must do this, rinse them very briefly under running cold water and shake them well.
• Start canning them immediately ; within a few hours they become limp and lose their flavor.

And which elderflower recipe is your favorite? Write to us in the comments!