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Elderberry Syrup II

Elderberry Syrup II is a traditional British recipe for an alternate method of making a syrup out of elderberries, clarified with an egg white, that can be used as a cordial or as a flavour base for other recipes. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Elderberry Syrup II.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

50 minutes

Total Time:

70 minutes

Additional Time:

(+over-night straining)

Makes:

4 bottles

Rating: 4.5 star rating

Tags : Wild FoodBritish Recipes


Ingredients:

2.25kg elderberries (weighed after stripping from their stalks)
600ml water
1 small egg white, whipped to a froth
280g preserving sugar per 500ml liquid
1 tsp brandy per bottle of syrup

Method:

Wash the berries then crush lightly before placing in an oven-proof earthenware dish along with the water. Cover securely with foil then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 100°C and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the fruit is pulpy. Remove from the oven then turn into a jelly bag (or a colander lined with several layers of muslin) then set over a bowl and allow the liquid to drain over night. Don't be tempted to squeeze the bag or to press down on the contents, you will just end-up with a cloudy syrup. Allow to drip naturally (if you wish you can keep the fruit pulp to make fruit pies).

Measure the volume of juice and weigh out 280g sugar per 500ml liquid. Set this sugar in a cool oven to warm. Pour the elderberry juice into a pan and gently whisk in the egg white. Bring the juice to a boil, whisking occasionally. When boiling, remove all the scum and froth from the surface then stir in the sugar. Return to a boil, skimming frequently, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Remove a little of the liquid and set aside to cool to test the consistency of the syrup. Continue simmering if not thick enough.

When ready, pour into bottles, adding 1 tsp of brandy to each bottle. Seal the bottles then place in a bath of boiling water and sterilize by boiling for 10 minutes. Store in a cool cupboard until needed.