Elderberry rob
Rob is simply the old-fashioned name for cordial. Drink this medicinal syrup to speed up recovery from coughs, colds, and sore throats. The cloves help to preserve the rob as well as adding their own antiviral and antibacterial properties. Drink either neat or diluted with water, and it’s soothing taken hot. Add rum or brandy and a squeeze of lemon for a medicinal hot toddy.
Ingredients
- 500g elderberries, fresh or frozen. you can keep them on the stalk.
- Water
- 10 whole cloves
- 300g caster sugar
Method
- Place your berries in a large pan. Add water until they are just floating.
- Slowly bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Using a potato masher, burst any berries that are still whole.
- Carefully pour the liquid through a colander into a large jug. Use the masher to squeeze out as much juice as you can. It’s worth taking your time over this because the best juice comes out at the end.
- Pour the liquid through a sieve into a pan. Measure the liquid. For every 500ml of juice, add 300g sugar and 10 cloves.
- Bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.
- Boil hard for 5 minutes, then cool slightly before pouring into sterilised bottles and labelling.
Elderflower cordial
Credit: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. The optional tartaric acid acts as a preservative and intensifies the flavour.
Ingredients
- 20-30 freshly-picked heads of elderflower. Choose ones with plenty of pollen and no browning florets
- Zest of 3 lemons
- Up to 400ml freshly-squeezed lemon juice (around 6-10 lemons, depending on their juiciness)
- Up to 1.5kg granulated sugar
- Tartaric acid (optional)
Method
- Shake any insects off the elderflowers. If you leave them on a white plate, the insects tend to creep out.
- Place the flower heads in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest.
- Pour over enough freshly-boiled water to cover them (around 1 – 1.5 litres)
- Cover and leave until cold – at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Strain the liquid through a muslin, a clean cotton cloth, or a jelly bag.
- Measure the amount of liquid and pour it into a saucepan.
- For every 500ml of liquid, add 350g sugar and 10oml of lemon juice and a heaped teaspoon of tartaric acid (if using).
- Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, stirring occasionally.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming off any scum. Let the cordial cool.
- Pour through a funnel into clean bottles and seal with screw tops or corks.
- To serve, dilute to taste with ice-cold water – at least 5:1 of water to cordial.