Here’s how to use the flower of May in your cooking: 4 recipies with elderflower
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The elderflower is one of the most significant and beloved flowers of May. It is one of the most common plants in Hungary that you can find almost everywhere in the countryside.
Apart from using its dark purple berry, (which is poisonous in itself) as raw material for medicine manufacturing, its fragrant white flower is also full of vitamins and is a popular ingredient in syrups, jams and lemonade. Its characteristic flavour is associated with childhood memories and summer vacations for many people. We collected some of the most popular ways of preparing it below, so you can get a taste of the summer.
Elderflower lemonade
Elderflower’s sweet flavour goes well with lemon’s sourness in general. One of the most popular ways of using the flower is, not surprisingly, in a lemonade. Served with ice, it is truly a refreshing drink in the summer that will probably soon become one of your favourites.
Ingredients:
- 5 litre water
- 400 g sugar
- 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons of citric acid
- 8-10 elderflower heads
Preparation:
Put all the ingredients into a bowl and leave it for a night to set. Serve with ice.
Elderflower syrup
Another favourite is the elderflower syrup, which you can also season your drinks with (e. g. lemonade, or any alcoholic beverage) for a unique taste. The non-alcoholic version consists of syrup, sparkling water, a few slices of lemon, and ice.
Ingredients:
- 1 litre water
- 1000 g sugar
- 1 lemon
- 10 elderflower heads
- 10 g citric acid
Preparation:
- To make a syrup, boil the water with the sugar. Cool it down. Pour it into a jar.
- Leave it to rest for five days in a cold, dark place.
- Close the lid with plastic wrap and put the cap on. Kept in a cold, dark place, it stays fresh for months.
Elderflower fritters
It might seem unusual to deep fry a flower at first, but it absolutely worth a try. Elderflower fritters taste similar to pancakes, but the flowers give this delicious dessert a unique taste. You can dust them with powdered sugar, or drizzle them with honey, but they go really well with any kind of jam or compote like rhubarb or any seasonal fruit. You can also serve them with vanilla ice cream.
