Presse Party !

Elderflower Presse

This is our favourite (and well tested) recipe for elderflower presse. We decided to make tons of this last year given we have about five HUGE elderflowers in the garden and it is delicious. We made about 25 litres last year and still have a bit left over in the freezer (it freezes really well) but the flowers are out again so here goes...

We usually make this in double batches with no problems

Ingredients
25 Elderflowers (ideally picked on a warm, dry day)
3 Lemons - we'll use their juice and their finely grated zest
1 Orange - again using both the juice and the grated zest
1 Heaped teaspoon of Citric Acid (available in most chemists ask for it though as they keep it hidden)
826g Sugar - white, granulated stuff

Optional (but we love it!)
80g peeled, grated ginger

Method
- Take a look at the flowers and remove any leaves, dead bits and give them a shake to throw off any little critters.
- Stick the flower heads in a large bowl with the lemon and orange zest (NOT the juice which should be shoved into the fridge for tomorrow)
- Bring 1.5 litres of water to the boil then pour over the flowers/zest in the bowl
- Cover and leave overnight

Next Day
- Strain the liquid from the bowl, muslin is great for this, I tend to give the flower heads a good squeeze or two - you'd be amazed just how much extra liquid you'll get out of them.
- Add the sugar, lemon and orange juice and the citric acid.
- Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, bring to a simmer (NOT boil) and keep it just bubbling for a few minutes.
- Use a clean funnel to pour while still hot into sterilised bottles, seal them and sit back.

Top Tips
1. To sterilise the bottles we tend to use hot soapy water and really clean them out well, then we fill them with boiling water and let them sit for a bit. Finally we shove them into a VERY low oven and keep the door open for a few minutes to dry them off.

2. If you let the simmered fluid cool a bit whilst covered then pour them into clean plastic bottles (used pop bottles?) give the bottle a bit of a squeeze and leave a fluid gap at the top then screw them up tight - this allows for a bit of expansion. They'll be great in the freezer for AGES !