Elderflower cordial is a seasonal product with a firm expiry date: the flower heads bloom from mid-May to the end of June, then the chance is gone for a year. We use that window consistently: pick the flowers, set up the infusion, leave it for 3 days. You need the Thermomix® twice, once for the sugar syrup and once for the second boil after the infusion. Time takes care of the rest.
Elderflower Cordial with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 6 ✓
- 1200 g water
- 1300 g sugar
- 3 tsp vanilla extract or 3 sachets of vanilla sugar
- 120 g lemon juice
- 35 - 40 heads elderflower heads depending on size
- 3 lemons unwaxed
Instructions 0 / 5
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1
Bring ingredients to the boil.
Add water, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice to the mixing bowl and cook for 15 min / 100°C / speed 2.
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2
Prepare the flowers and lemons.
In the meantime, rinse the elderflower heads if necessary, leave to drain and place in a large bowl. Wash the lemons, slice them and distribute over the flowers.
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3
Pour the sugar syrup over.
Pour the finished sugar syrup over the flowers, cover the bowl and leave to infuse for 3 days. Stir once each day.
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4
Cook the cordial.
Place the simmering basket in the mixing bowl and line it with a clean tea towel, strain the elderflower cordial through it and cook for 15 min / 100°C / speed 2.
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5
Bottle the cordial.
In the meantime, sterilise the bottles with boiling water, fill with the elderflower cordial, seal and store in the fridge.
Tip: To serve, add some elderflower cordial, a slice of lemon and a little mint to a glass, then top up with sparkling water. You will have a wonderfully refreshing summer drink.
Video
Nutrition per serving
The flower heads: when is the right moment
Fully open flower heads with visible yellow pollen smell the most intense. Once the blossoms start turning brown or falling off, the moment has passed. We pick in the morning, after the dew has dried. In the heat of midday, the essential oils evaporate more quickly.
Do not wash them. The pollen on the flower heads contributes significantly to the flavour. Instead, simply shake them out so any small insects fall off. Anyone who washes them will notice a clear difference in the result. For transport, baskets or paper bags are best. In plastic bags the flowers sweat quickly.
What the Thermomix® does here
Water, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice all go into the mixing bowl: 15 minutes, 100°C, speed 2. This is essentially a simple sugar syrup with lemon and vanilla. The Thermomix® dissolves the sugar evenly and holds the temperature steady, so you do not need to stir.
Pour the finished syrup directly over the prepared elderflower heads and lemon slices. Cover the bowl and leave in a cool place for 3 days, stirring once each day.
After 3 days comes the second use of the Thermomix®: line the simmering basket with a tea towel and strain the cordial through it. We press the flowers gently at the end to extract a little more flavour. The finer the cloth, the clearer the cordial. Then cook again for 15 minutes, 100°C, speed 2. This second boil is what makes the cordial shelf-stable.
Three points that decide the result
Do not underestimate the quantity of flower heads. 35 to 40 heads sounds like a lot, but elderflower heads vary greatly in size. Using too few will leave you with more of a lemon sugar syrup than an elderflower cordial. If in doubt, bring more rather than fewer.
Unwaxed lemons. The zest goes into the infusion. With treated fruit, pesticides and waxes end up directly in the cordial. Organic or unwaxed is not a precaution here, it is a basic requirement.
Sterilise the bottles properly. Rinse with boiling water or place in the oven for 10 minutes at 120°C. We fill the hot cordial straight into the hot bottles and seal them immediately. Unopened, it keeps for up to one year. Once opened, use within 2 to 3 weeks and store in the fridge, as contact with air can cause it to start fermenting.
TM31: split the quantity
The recipe produces around 2.6 litres of liquid for the first boil. The TM31 holds a maximum of 1.8 litres safely when cooking. Anyone still using the TM31 should cook the cordial in two batches. On TM5, TM6 and TM7, the recipe runs without any adjustment.
If you want to keep going in the same season: rhubarb cordial with the Thermomix® works on the same principle and overlaps with the elderflower season. For a contrast with more of a kick, lemon and ginger syrup with the Thermomix® is worth a try.
Goes well with: Prosecco, pancakes and yoghurt.
You might also like: Ginger and orange shot with the Thermomix®.
