The beginning of June is an ideal time to go for a walk in nature and enjoy the fruits, flowers and herbs of the season. One of them is elderflower. So aromatic and tasty, this plant is the perfect ingredient for many recipes such as lemonade, creams, cakes, cocktails and many more. We’ve already given you a few, so today we’re going to focus on elderflower jelly. Prepare it now according to the famous Alsatian recipe and enjoy it all summer. Let’s go!
Like quince jelly, elderflower jelly can be served on toast and added to appetizers, especially if combined with cheese. Camembert is one of the best options, served warm or browned. You can also add it to a plate of Roquefort and gorgonzola and consume it with a glass of white wine. What could be better for a summer evening!
Another idea is to make jelly shots for your birthday party by adding vodka to the mix.
And as you can see in the picture above, elderflower jelly can also be served as a dessert in a very interesting way. Just add a little more agar-agar or gelatin, some seasonal fruit and edible gold leaf. A few mint leaves will add even more color and flavor. If you grow edible flowers in your garden, consider using them as well. You can turn it all into an amazing jelly cake, perfect for summer!
This recipe is very easy to make, but it takes a lot of time. Be patient. It is necessary for you to extract the incredible taste of this flower. But before you start, here are some very useful tips to consider if you are new to this:
1. Only pick up flowers when they are fully open.
2. If you don’t have elderflowers at home, take them in the forest where there is less pollution.
3. Before cutting, check for aphids. They are very common pests and it will be difficult to clean them due to their large number and small size, so it is better to avoid them.
4. Shake the flowers before putting them in a bag so that the pollinators can fly away.
ingredients
- 200 g fresh elderflowers
- 2 liters of water
- 1.5 kg granulated sugar
- 1 lemon
- 8 g agar agar
Preparation
- Carefully separate the elderflowers from the stems, making sure to remove the green parts of the plant.
- Then place the flowers in a heat-resistant container, add 2 liters of cold water and slices of lemon.
- Cover the container with a clean cloth and let it macerate for about 24 hours in a cool place.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, carefully strain the elderflower and lemon.
- Then add the sugar and mix well.
- Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Meanwhile, boil the agar-agar in another container for half a minute. Then add it to the elderflower juice.
- Bake another 10 minutes.
- Then pour the jelly into sterilized jars while still warm and seal them tightly.
- Keep them away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Discover other elderflower recipes by clicking on the following link: Elderflower in recipes, what to prepare: syrup, herbal tea, wine, liqueur or jelly?
