Elderflower Cordial

Ingredients

10 large elderflower heads
1kg/2lb granulated sugar
25g/1 oz tartaric acid
2 lemons sliced
2.4 litres/4 pints boiling water

Method

1. Put the elderflower heads into a bowl. Mix the sugar and tartaric acid together and sprinkle over the flowers. Add the lemon slices then pour the water over. Cover and leave for 24 hours occasionally stirring gently with a wooden spoon.
2. Strain off the liquid through a double thickness of muslin. Pour into sterilised bottlers to within 2.5 cm/1 inch of the top and seal with screw caps. Place the bottles on a pad of newspaper or cloth in the bottom of a deep pan or preserving pan and fill the pan with warm water up to the bottom of the screw caps.
3. Heat the water to simmering point and keep it at this temperature 77 degrees C/170 degrees F for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the bottles and leave to cool. Store in a cool dark place