If you are wanting to make your own syrup this easy homemade elderflower syrup recipe is sure to be a hit.
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What is Elderflower Syrup?
Elderflower syrup is an herbal syrup made from the flowers of an elder bush.
It’s mostly known for its delicious flavor, but the elderflower is chock full of nutrients and beneficial health properties including boosting the immune system.
How to make Elderflower Syrup: Step by Step
Prepare your fresh elderflowers by shaking out debris and removing any bugs. Next trim back as much of the branches off as possible. While elderflowers and their berries are safe to eat and loaded with health benefits, their branches, bark and roots are considered toxic, so it’s best to avoid these parts.
Some people prefer to wash their flowers to help remove dirt and debris. I, however, prefer not to as it removes much of the pollen and flavor of the flowers, along with some of the healthful benefits.
Next put your flowers into a large glass jar cover with water and allow to sit for 24 to 48 hours at room temperature, creating a slow infused elderflower tea.
Once the elderflower tea hasfinished steeping, strain the tea into a large pot. You can compost the flowers, or use them for apretty garnish.
Add in your sugar and lemon juice and heat until sugar has completely melted and your syrup is clear. If you want to preserve your syrup for longer than one month, now is the time to add in your food grade citric acid.
Next, pour your elderflower syrup into very clean jars and store up to 1 month in the fridge. If you added the citric acid, it should store well for up to a year.
Prepare your elderflowers by giving them a good shake to remove any bugs or debris. Some people like to gentlywash their flowers to help remove any dirt. However, it’s not necessary to rinse the flowers, and doing so may remove some of the flavor. I like leaving as much as the pollen on in order to get the full health benefits from the elderflower. Then trim the flowers removing as much of the branch as possible, leaving mostly just flowers.
Place your flowers in a large glass jar and fill with your water to cover the elderflowers completely.
Cover your jar and let sit for 24-48 hours at room temperature, creating an elderflower tea.
Now strain yourelderflower tea into a large pot.
Add the sugar and juice from the lemons and heat until the sugar melts and the mixture becomes clear. (If using citric acid you can add it during this step.)
Now you can pour yoursyrup into clean jars and refrigerate. This syrup will last about a month on its own. If using citric acid it should keep for up to a year.
Notes:
If you don’t have access to fresh elderflowers, you could use dried flowers instead, but fresh flowers will be most flavorful.
Citric acid is a food derived preservative commonly used for preserving homemade canned goods. You can find it in most canning food stores or you can get GMO-free citric acid on Amazon.
Ways to Use Herbal Elderflower Syrup
This syrup can be added to many recipes and drinks to give it a beautiful floral flavor and added health benefits.
This syrup can be added to cakes and other baked goods to add a unique flavor.
Add to sparkling water for a yummy, healthier homemade soda
Mix into herbal tea for delicious hot drink
Add to vodka or sparkling wine for a unique spritzer.
Drizzle over vanilla ice cream
Add flavor to plain greek yogurt
Use as a syrup for pancakes or pastries
If you are interested in learning about herbs and how to incorporate them into your everyday life for a fun and delicious way to stay healthy, I highly suggest checking out The Herbal Academy. Taking a few courses from them has completely changed the way I see and use herbs. You can read my full review of their herbal online courses here.
An extract of the flower is used to make medicine. Elderflower is used for swollen sinuses (sinusitis), colds, influenza (flu), swine flu, bronchitis, diabetes, and constipation. It is also used to increase urine production (as a diuretic), to increase sweating (as a diaphoretic), and to stop bleeding.
Elderflower syrup is made from the flowers of the elder tree, while elderberry syrup is made from the berries of the elder tree. Elderflower syrup has a delicate, sweet, and floral taste, while elderberry syrup has a tart, slightly sweet taste.
Elderflower syrup makes a great glaze for chicken or pheasant breasts, or, when mixed with a champagne vinegar, a helluva gastrique (sweet and sour sauce) for poultry, rabbit or fish.
Elderflower cordial has a sweet, floral, refreshing taste which is one of my favourite summer drinks. It's a non-alcoholic concentrated syrup that can be mixed with sparkling water or soda water and ice to enjoy in the heat.
American elder flowers or cooked, ripe fruit are safe for most adults in the amounts found in foods. There is some scientific evidence that suggests the flowers are safe in medicinal amounts, which are typically larger. Some side effects might include nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, numbness, and stupor.
In a previously published study, we demonstrated nephroprotective effects, in terms of renal function and morphology, for Sambucus nigra L. elderflower extract rich in flavonoids, obtained from the wild specimens of European elder Sambucus nigra L.
Elderberry is not FDA-approved because it's regulated as a supplement, not a drug. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) isn't required to approve a supplement prior to sale and companies manufacturing them are responsible for their safety and labeling them properly.
It's true, you can just buy similar elderberry syrups. The homemade is better for because:But it becomes very pricy when you need to take a tablespoon every two hours. By comparison, my homemade syrup is about a quarter of the price of over-the-counter options.
Commercial elderberry syrups are pricey because of pasteurization. Although it is a standard practice in many manufacturing processes, it kills the healthy properties of honey (if the honey was even added), large amounts of low-quality sweeteners, Low amounts of actual elderberries, and often cheap additives.
The lightly sweet nuances of elderflower blend well with many other natural fruit flavors and botanicals, including honey, pear, blackberry, strawberry, grapefruit, orange, lime, passionfruit, ginger, and even herbal flavors like rosemary, basil, and lemongrass.
One that we love although it isn't used as often in American cuisine is elderflower. It has a subtly fresh and fruity taste that pairs great with RAKO Coffee Roaster's Luleesa Limu - Ethiopia, Thump Coffee's North Fork and Form & Function's El Diamente - Guatemala.
If you're looking for a nutrient rich herb for immune system support that's easy for the whole family to take, then elderberry is the best option. If you're looking to support everyday health and provide your body with a source of natural antioxidants, then elderflower is a great option.
It's often used medicinally. Though research is limited, elderflower might help treat constipation, reduce cold and flu symptoms, treat gingivitis, and even control blood sugar. Elderflower is generally recognized as safe by the FDA.
Elderflower is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when used in excessive amounts. Some parts of the elder tree contain a cyanide-producing chemical which can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Elderberry syrup is known as a powerful cold preventative and remedy. Just one cup of berries contains about 58% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. It's also a great source of antioxidants — which may protect your cells from damage and help prevent heart disease and cancer.
Both the elderberries and elderflowers have a long tradition in herbal medicine of being used to reduce inflammation and diabetic symptoms, as diuretics, and in the treatment of colds and flu.
Elder flower tea may also be useful against insomnia, anxiety and other nervous disorders. The flowers are a significant source of Vitamin C, as well as other antioxidants. The ripe berries also have a laxative effect in small doses, but may cause nausea and vomiting in larger amounts.
Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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