Lønnestræde elderflower cordial with less bitterness

It is this time again of the year, where you in Denmark can make your own elder flower cordial. Many Danes are actually making their own elder flower cordial, some you can quiet frequently during this time experience, that your local supermarket runs out of citric acid !!!

I have fine tunes this recipe on elder flower cordial to get less bitterness from the citrus fruits into the final cordial. So this year I have peel out the skin of both the lemon & lime. When I cut of all of the white citrus layer and thrown all the white stuff away. And final I have sliced the remaining part of the citrus fruits. So I am still using the citrus peel as well as the inside of the citrus fruits for flavour and taste. The majority of the bitterness is sitting in the white part of the citrus skin.

Elder Flower Cordial a la Lønnestræde with less bitterness:

• 40 elder flowers
• 2 lemons - organic - peeled, white skin removed and fruit part sliced
• 4 limes - organic - peeled, white skin removed and fruit part sliced
• 40 g citric acid
• 1.5  kg cane sugar
• 2 l water - boiling

1. Shake the elder flowers very, very well, so they are free from various insects. DO NOT use water for this cleaning step, as this will reduce the wonderful taste of elder flower significantly as you remove the "yellow" flavour dust/pollen.
2. Use a scissors to cut the flowers from the flower stem, as these apparently will increase the bitterness level in the final cordial.
3. Place the elder flower into a big bowl, which you can close with a lid at the end.
4. Peel the citrus fruits. And the peel into the bowl.
5. Cot of the white part of the skin layer (gives bitterness) and cut the remaining part of the citrus fruit into thin slices. Add into the bowl.
6. Add the cane sugar on top
7. Add the citric acid as well.
8. Add the boiling water into the bowl.
9. Stir the sugar into solution, so it does not form a sediment on the bottom, which is difficult to dissolved later, when the cordial is cold.
10. Cover the bowl with the lid.
11. Let the content cool down to room temperature, before you place the bowl in the refrigerator.
12. Stir or shake the bowl daily during the infusion time.
13. Let the elder flower cordial infuse for 4 days in the refrigerator.
14. Sieve the cordial to remove all the different ingredients.
15. Prepare the glass bottles by by filling them with boiling water. I do not use any preservatives, so this is important to increase shelf-life of your cordial.
16. You can also use plastic bottles, if you want to freeze the cordial as another way of preserving it. Remember NOT to fill these bottles completely, as liquid will increase in volume, when turning into ice.
17. Enjoy the wonderful Summer time using this cordial as "plain" cordial mixing with water (with or without gas), mixing with wine or sparkling wine. Or mix it gin or vodka and lots of ice.