Go foraging for a homemade elderflower liqueur – choose creamy looking blossoms well away from pollution. Best drunk fresh, make this your summer tipple of choice
Prep:20 mins
Makes 750ml
8-10 heads of elderflowers100g golden or white caster sugar1 lemon, zest removed with a peeler, ½ juiced750ml vodka (reserving the bottle)
STEP 1Snip off the long green stalks of the elderflower, leaving enough to hold the flower heads together. Gently rinse the flower heads in water and check for bugs.STEP 2Push the flowers into the emptied vodka bottle or a jar, tip in the sugar and leave for 1 hr.STEP 3Add the lemon zest and juice and vodka to the bottle until it is completely full with no air space, keep any excess vodka to add back later. Seal and leave for 48 hrs. You can leave it for longer, but the flavour will change – it won’t necessarily taste more elderflowery. STEP 4Pour the vodka into a large bowl through a fine sieve (use muslin or a coffee filter, if you like). Add any remaining vodka, then pour into clean, sterilised bottles. Will keep for one month.
