This spiced elderflower cordial captures the essence of warm English summers

Makes 1½ litres (2½ pints)
Time 6 days
359 calories per 150ml (¼ pint)
0g fat
Suitable for vegetarians

Caster sugar 1kg (2lb 4oz)
Boiling water 900ml (1½ pints)
Citric acid 50g (2oz)
Elderflower heads 20, flowers snipped from stems
Lemon 1, thinly sliced Limes 4, thinly sliced
Fresh root ginger 50–75g (2–3oz), peeled and sliced

1 Pour sugar into a bowl, add boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add citric acid and elderflowers and stir. Stir in sliced lemon, limes and ginger. Cover with cling film and leave in a cool place for 6 days, stirring daily.

2 Place a colander or sieve over a bowl and line with muslin or clean J-cloths. Pour boiling water through – to sterilise. Pour away water and wring out muslin or J-cloths.

3 Re-line sieve or colander, replace over bowl and strain the cordial through it. Discard elderflowers, lemon, limes and ginger.

4 Pour cordial through a funnel into two sterilised 75cl (11⁄4 pint) wine bottles. Seal with corks or screw caps and store in fridge. Will keep for a year or more. Serve diluted with chilled white wine, tonic or soda water, or top up with boiling water to make a hot toddy.

A Dairy Diary recipe

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