Elderflower Liqueur

• Produce

  • 1 Lemon, zest of large

• Baking & Spices

  • 100 g Sugar

• Liquids

  • 100 ml Water

• Other

  • 20 Large elderflower heads
  • 1 Litre (1 us quart of vodka
  • sterilised bottles
  • 1 X 1 litre (1 us quart sterilised le parfait jar, kilner jar, mason jar or similar

Found on talesfromthekitchenshed.com

Description

Ingredients

• 20 large elderflower heads
• 1 litre (1 US quart) of vodka
• Zest of 1 large lemon
• 1 x 1 litre (1 US quart) sterilised Le Parfait jar, Kilner jar, Mason jar or similar
• 100 g (½ cup) sugar
• 100 ml (⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons) water
• Sterilised bottles

Directions

• Pick your elderflowers on a sunny day just before noon for the best scent. Discard any with brown flowers.
• Give each flower head a good shake to get rid of any creepy crawlies, although you will strain them out later.
• Snip the tiny flower heads off the thick stalks, leaving only the thin stalks attached to the flowers.
• Place in the sterilised jar, top with the lemon zest and pour the vodka in until it completely covers the lemon zest right to the limit of the jar. (This should prevent the flowers from turning brown but dont worry as an odd few will only result in a darker liqueur and it wont ruin the taste)
• Place in a cool, dark place for two to four weeks.
• Make a sugar syrup by gently heating the sugar with the water until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool before using.
• Strain the elderflower, lemon and vodka liquid through a muslin cloth into a bowl.
• Add half the sugar syrup and taste for sweetness before adding the remaining syrup if required. I use all of the syrup and I find it isnt overly sweet.
• Decant into clean sterilised bottles and leave for for two months in a cool dark place to mature. (If you really cant wait, it is okay for drinking now but its worth waiting the two months)
• Keeps for years but Im sure it wont be on your pantry shelf that long!