The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Recipes => Topic started by: ArosP on June 19, 2013, 08:38:05 pm

Title: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: ArosP on June 19, 2013, 08:38:05 pm: Just thought it might be a good time to post this recipe-its delicious
2 elderflower heads in full bloom
1 gallon cold water
1 lemon
1and a half pounds sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Squeeze lemons and cut into quarters, snip flowers from stalks and mix everything together in a bucket Leave for 24 hours Then sieve and bottle in screw top bottles and keep for 2 weeks before drinking, it keeps for a good while after that too
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: FiB on June 19, 2013, 09:02:34 pm: it really is THE best drink of the year - I am on standby to up production this year (got some bins and been collecting crates of individual pop top bottles from local café (who throw then away!!!!)!!) - but NO flowers yet - how mad is that? Nearly blimmin July!!!! I usually have a good stock ready for haymaking but not sure it will happen this year :(
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: Dan on June 19, 2013, 10:01:46 pm: We're standing by too, we've got a black elder in the garden and I can't wait to see what it produces.

Dans is the queen of elderflower champagne on here: http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=34414.msg342545 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=34414.msg342545) :)
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: Lesley Silvester on June 20, 2013, 09:20:43 pm: :yum: :yum: :yum:
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: Backinwellies on June 20, 2013, 10:35:33 pm: mmmmm...... better add lemons to my tesco order!
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: Dans on June 24, 2013, 11:50:09 pm: Doesn't work in pressure barrels though!

Dans
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: Dans on June 25, 2013, 02:04:07 am: Just finished bottling the latest batch, for our wedding! Won't have the full 7 days in the bottle but I'm crossing my fingers. At the very least it tastes good currently if my sneaky sip is anything to go by!

Dans
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: Dan on June 25, 2013, 08:24:47 am: Quote from: Dans on June 25, 2013, 02:04:07 am
Just finished bottling the latest batch, for our wedding! Won't have the full 7 days in the bottle but I'm crossing my fingers. At the very least it tastes good currently if my sneaky sip is anything to go by!

Wow, very impressive! :thumbsup:

We're prepped to make some this year, just need to wait for the flowers now... :)
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: Simon O on June 25, 2013, 08:35:16 am: I just drank my last 2 bottles from 2 years ago! One was not very nice - a bit vinegary - the other was fine. Also just finished the last lot of cordial from last year, which we keep in the freezer so it does not ferment. Didn't want it hanging around as hopefully new stock soon as the flowers are just coming into bloom
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: ellied on June 27, 2013, 04:01:34 pm: By white vinegar do you mean distilled malt vinegar or white wine vinegar or what? ???
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: Dans on July 01, 2013, 10:56:30 am: Sorry that should have been white wine vinegar.

Dans

Gah just realised this isn't my recipe. I assume white wine vinegar but we'd need confirmation from ArosP for thus recipe.
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: escapedtothecountry on July 01, 2013, 03:25:17 pm: Damn you small holding community!!!!

Your excellent ideas have had me making both the champagne and cordial. My Eldrflower cordial is already bottled with the champagne looking interesting after its first day in its bucket!
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: ArosP on July 11, 2013, 11:22:44 am: I used white wine vinegar, just because its what i had. I have also made the recipe that has yeast in but prefer this one
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: mwncigirl on July 15, 2013, 10:32:19 pm: Hooray, we finally have elderflowers!!! :excited:
Title: Re: Elderflower Champagne
Post by: sokel on July 17, 2013, 02:19:13 pm: We are going to be starting some today , Its the first time for me so :fc: