Strawberry and Elderflower Syllabub - A Simple yet Extravagent Summer Dessert for that Very Special Event.

Its early summer and the elderflower bushes are now in bloom; strawberry beds are producing masses of luscious red berries.  Lets incorporate them into an 'old fashioned', 'traditional' dessert with a modern twist.  Simple yet delicious – a real dinner party treat!  I serve this with 2 butter shortbread biscuits (cookies), it goes down so well with everyone.

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This post will show you how to make the delicious syllabub, but also, how to make elderflower cordial. The shortbread biscuits (cookie) recipe will be in the next post so don't worry; you will learn how to make everything and stun your friends with this 'heavenly' trilogy.  So lets begin with the Syllabub:

Strawberry and Elderflower Syllabub

Ingredients for the 'Syllabub':  

400g (2 cups/ 14 ozs) strawberries + 100g (1/2 cup/ 3.5 ozs) for decoration

100g (1/2 cup/3 ½ ozs) sugar

4 tbls elderflower Cordial

300ml (1 1/3 cups/ 10 fl ozs) double Cream.

Method: 

1.  Put strawberries, sugar and elderflower cordial into a pan and gently simmer until strawberries are soft. 

2.  Pass the strawberry mixture through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.  (It is better to use a plastic sieve here as a metal sieve might react with the acidic content of the fruit and could be tainted by it).

3.  When the puree is cold, whip up the cream to soft peaks. 

4.  Retain 1/4 of the puree for decoration.  Fold the remaining puree through the cream leaving a ripple effect. 

5.  Put into ‘stemmed’ glasses and place in the fridge to chill. 

6.  Toss the remaining strawberries and puree together until the strawberries are covered.  

7.  When the syllabub is chilled and set, decorate each glass with the remaining strawberries and puree.

8.  Serve with two shortbread biscuits (cookies)

A really simple and delicious dessert.  You can use shop bought elderflower cordial to make this dessert but it is so easy to make your own and homemade has infinitely more flavour; so lets look at how to make:

Homemade Elderflower Cordial

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Ingredients required:

2½ kg (12 1/2 cups/5lbs 5 ozs)  white sugar

2 unwaxed lemons

20 fresh elderflower heads, stalks trimmed

85g (2/3 cup/3 ozs) citric acid (You can easily obtain this from chemists) (Nb. The conversion from grams is based on icing sugar conversion, the nearest commodity I could gauge it with, so be aware)!

Method:

1. Put the sugar and 1.5 litres (6 cups/2¾ pints) water into the largest saucepan you have. 

2. Heat gently, stirring now and then, until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Slice the unwaxed lemons into rounds about ¼” (6mm) slices.  (If your lemons are waxed, which most are, just put them into a bowl and pour boiling water over them from the kettle. Leave for a minute and pour off the water, your lemons will now be unwaxed).

4. Once the sugar has dissolved bring the pan of syrup to the boil.

5. When at boiling point turn off the heat and add your lemon slices, and citric acid, stir to dissolve and disperse the citric acid.

6. Fill a washing up bowl with cold water. Give the flowers a gentle swish around to loosen any dirt or bugs. (Please shake them well outside before putting them in the water bucket; lets allow any insects chance to escape first).  Lift the flowers out, gently shake to remove excess water, and transfer to the syrup. 

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(When you are picking the elderflower heads, go for the palest flowers which are fully open.  If they are slightly colored they will be older and not have the same flavor.  It is best to pick them on a sunny day; earlier in the morning, preferably when the dew has dried off them).

7. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 24 hrs.

8. Line a colander with a clean tea towel, then sit it over a large bowl or pan. Ladle in the syrup – let it drip slowly through. Discard the bits left in the towel. (Do not squeeze the towel out let it drip through slowly, otherwise your cordial will be cloudy).

9. Fill sterilized bottles with the elderflower cordial (run glass bottles through the dishwasher, or wash well with soapy water. Rinse, then leave to dry in a low oven). 

10. The cordial is ready to drink straight away and will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks; or, freeze it in plastic containers or ice cube trays and defrost as needed.  This is my preferred method of keeping the elderflower cordial as it is always fresh when required and you do not run the risk of contamination if sterilization was not successful.

A very simple summer treat which lasts as long as your stash does!

Until the next time, adios Amigos

From very sunny Almeria Province, Spain. X