Currently not in season
Elderflower and Elderberries in the Thermomix®
We have matched 2 English Thermomix® recipes with elderflower and elderberries. Here is the season window, buying advice and the best MixMyDay recipe links.
Seasonal calendar by month
When are elderflower and elderberries in season?
Outdoor crop from August to mid September, fully ripe when all the berries are dark purple to black.
Outdoor crop: fresh European harvest. Protected crop: greenhouse or covered cultivation. Stored: European harvest kept in storage.
Buying and storing elderflower and elderberries
Elderberries are rarely sold in the shops: most people gather them themselves. The berries grow in large hanging clusters on the black elder. Ripe berries are deep dark purple to black, and if you press a berry you should see dark purple juice. Pale, reddish or green berries are not yet ripe. When gathering, wear dark clothes, as the juice stains strongly and barely washes out.
Fresh elderberries hardly keep at all and should be processed within one to two days. The easiest way is to freeze the whole clusters straight after picking, so you can strip the berries off with a fork while frozen and process them at once. Processed elderberry juice in sealed bottles keeps in the fridge for several weeks, or up to a year once preserved.
Preparing elderflower and elderberries in the Thermomix®
Warning: raw elderberries are toxic to children and to sensitive adults. The glycoside sambunigrin they contain is only broken down by heating to at least 80°C. In the Thermomix® that means always heating to at least 100°C, speed 1, never just warming them gently. For elderberry juice, bring the stripped berries to the boil with water and a little lemon juice at 100°C, speed 1, then strain them through a cloth. The juice is the base for syrup, jelly and the Hugo.
For elderberry syrup, boil up the pressed juice with sugar and citric acid and fill it hot into sterilised bottles. The elderflowers for the Elderflower Cordial from our recipes do not need to be heated, only the berries do.
The most common mistakes with elderflower and elderberries
- Eating or tasting raw elderberries. Sambunigrin in raw elderberries causes nausea and vomiting, especially in children. The toxin is only fully broken down after heating to 100°C. Never taste them raw.
- Using unripe or red berries. Unripe elderberries are more toxic than ripe ones and also taste strongly bitter. Only use berries that are fully dark purple to black. Red elderberries (a different species) are generally toxic and not fit to eat.
- Damaging the berries while stripping them. Pulling hard tears the delicate berries open and the juice runs out everywhere. It is better to freeze the cluster: frozen berries strip off cleanly with a fork and without the mess.
All 2 Thermomix® recipes with elderflower and elderberries
Elderflower and Elderberries as the main ingredient (1 recipes)
Elderflower and Elderberries in more recipes (1 recipes)
Onions
Peppers
Tomatoes
Pumpkin and Squash
Carrots
PotatoesGood to know
Are raw elderberries toxic?
Yes, for children and sensitive people definitely. Raw elderberries contain the glycoside sambunigrin, which causes nausea, vomiting and stomach ache. It is only fully broken down by heating to at least 80°C, better 100°C. Processed elderberry juice and syrup are perfectly safe once cooked.
When are elderberries ripe for picking?
When all the berries on a cluster are dark purple to black, which is late August to mid September. Press a berry: the juice must be deep dark purple. Pale, watery juice shows that the berry is not yet ripe.
Can you freeze elderberries?
It is best to freeze the whole clusters. While frozen, the berries strip off cleanly. Then straight into the pan or Thermomix® and heat. No thawing needed.
What is the difference between elderflower cordial and elderberry syrup?
Elderflower cordial is made from the white flowers in May and June, without cooking, using only a cold water infusion or brief warming. Elderberry syrup, made from the ripe berries in August, must be boiled so that the sambunigrin is broken down. The flavour and colour are completely different.
How many Thermomix® recipes with elderflower and elderberries are there?
There are currently 2 recipes in our collection. You will find them above, sorted by main ingredient and supporting ingredient.