Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Elderflower Champagne recipe  (Read 22697 times)

sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #15 on: May 25, 2014, 12:13:33 am »
Well we are all ready and waiting for this years crop of flowers, we Noticed They are just starting to open in hexham today
This year it's mass production  ::)
Graham

Somewhere_by_the_river

  • Joined Dec 2013
  • Near Llandeilo
    • Angela French Graphite Artist
    • Facebook
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #16 on: May 25, 2014, 12:16:29 pm »
Sounds fab sokel, hope to give it a go this year. Last year I made gallons of cordial, which OH drank as fast as I could make it! It was lovely, the first harvest/produce from our new home, so this year I plan to go one step further and try the champagne - just waiting for the flowers now...  :D

JulieWall

  • Joined Aug 2013
  • Cornhill, Banff
    • The Roundhouse
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #17 on: May 25, 2014, 12:22:44 pm »
I make this every year from our black elder flowers, it makes lovely pink champagne. I use Margaret Vaughan's recipe from the eighties TV series ''Fruity Passions'' does anyone remember that? She was an exponent of natural country wine making, not for her all the hydrometers and additives, just sugar and wild stuff. She used to use the country wines she made in her recipes at her restaurant. Lovely lady, great series........ they should re-run that one.
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Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #18 on: May 25, 2014, 12:58:13 pm »
Ooo her style of winemaking sounds right up my ally! Found her book second hand on amazon so that may be winging it's way to me now  :excited:. Would love to see her TV series, not sure if it will still be available anywhere  :fc:. 80's are a bit before my TV watching time unfortunately!

Dans
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Somewhere_by_the_river

  • Joined Dec 2013
  • Near Llandeilo
    • Angela French Graphite Artist
    • Facebook
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #19 on: May 25, 2014, 01:33:05 pm »
...Likewise, but it sounds very interesting  :thinking:

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #20 on: May 25, 2014, 01:38:16 pm »
sounds delicious I will try to make it once all of the elderflowers are in full bloom.
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JulieWall

  • Joined Aug 2013
  • Cornhill, Banff
    • The Roundhouse
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #21 on: May 26, 2014, 12:21:46 pm »
Ooo her style of winemaking sounds right up my ally! Found her book second hand on amazon so that may be winging it's way to me now  :excited:. Would love to see her TV series, not sure if it will still be available anywhere  :fc:. 80's are a bit before my TV watching time unfortunately!

Dans

That's great that you found it, she is also very readable and adds nice little anecdotes.
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ellied

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • Fife
    • Facebook
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #22 on: May 26, 2014, 03:24:44 pm »
JulieWall could you post that recipe please?  I'd love to have a go without purchasing all the bumph if it's possible.  Otherwise I'll stick to cordial, loads of flowers coming but a while to wait for them to bloom yet, so plenty time to plan options :)
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Treud na Mara

  • Joined Mar 2014
  • East Clyh, Caithness
  • Living the dream in Caithness
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #23 on: May 26, 2014, 09:24:55 pm »
Sadly as we have only planted our elders 6 months ago we may have a while to wait before we can truly brew our own, but I'll be looking out for some wild stuff soon. As we are a bit behind you southerners it will be a few weeks yet   ;)
With 1 Angora and now 6 pygmy goats, Jacob & Icelandic sheep, chooks, a cat and my very own Duracell bunny aka BH !

JulieWall

  • Joined Aug 2013
  • Cornhill, Banff
    • The Roundhouse
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #24 on: May 27, 2014, 10:38:12 am »
Margaret Vaughan's recipe;
5-6 elderflower heads (I use a lot more for a stronger flavour)
2 lemons, sliced
8 pints boiled water
1 + I/2lb sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar or 1/2oz citric acid

( nb/ the one time I used cider vinegar it killed the natural yeasts as I discovered afterwards there was a preservative in the vinegar.
The recipe works just fine with neither citric acid or vinegar but I felt I should give her recipe as it is in the book. An extra lemon would be fine too.)

Put the elderflower heads and sliced lemons into a fermentation bucket and pour on the water (Cooled to below 40 deg or you will kill the yeasts)
Leave to soak for 24-36 hours. Strain through a cloth or fine sieve and add the sugar and citric acid (if you use it)
Stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved and pour into bottles. don't screw up the tops completely to allow it to work itself out in the bottles.
(I always use plastic pop bottle although once the screw tops are done up they stretch and the bottoms go round like weebles. I tried glass bottles once but had an explosion in the cupboard, it is a very fizzy drink.)

Anything above in brackets is from me, not Margaret Vaughan  :wave:
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sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #25 on: June 02, 2014, 05:25:55 pm »
We have just started 24lts of it yesterday  ::) up here in Nothumberland they are in full bloom in som places
Does anyone have pictures of the Black elder that is safe to use ? we have access to 2 but one has a laced leaf and the other a purple version on the normal elder  :-\
Graham

Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #26 on: June 06, 2014, 08:00:08 pm »
My lovely aunt (RIP :bouquet: ) gave me that book about 25+ years ago.  I'm going for a trawl through the bookcases now...
Loads of elderflowers out now, I always miss them.  Red gooseberry and elderflower jam, heaven!

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #27 on: June 06, 2014, 08:38:06 pm »
Have never, ever, made wine etc. Like the sound of elderflower champers though, and there's an elder in the wall directly opposite my gate. Another couple of weeks til it flowers.

Eta: bought a kit, two weeks to learn what to do!
« Last Edit: June 06, 2014, 08:50:30 pm by jaykay »

JulieWall

  • Joined Aug 2013
  • Cornhill, Banff
    • The Roundhouse
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #28 on: June 07, 2014, 09:51:31 am »
My lovely aunt (RIP :bouquet: ) gave me that book about 25+ years ago.  I'm going for a trawl through the bookcases now...
Loads of elderflowers out now, I always miss them.  Red gooseberry and elderflower jam, heaven!

 :excited: Recipe please  :yum:
Permaculture and smallholding, perfect partners
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Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: Elderflower Champagne recipe
« Reply #29 on: June 07, 2014, 12:28:22 pm »
Found the book ;D !

From another book 'Perfect Preserves' by Nora Carey: Red gooseberry jelly with elder flowers.

5 pounds red gooseberries - 4 cups sugar - 1/4 cup lemon juice - 10-12 elder flower heads.

Combine gooseberries with half the water and simmer gently 45 mins, or until fruit very soft.
Strain overnight through a jelly bag.
Measure juice and for every 2 cups add 1 cup sugar.
Combine juice, sugar, lemon juice and bring to boil slowly, stirring all the time.
Tie elder flowers in a cheese-cloth bag, add bag to mixture, boil until jellying point is reached.
Discrd flowers and ladle into warm sterilized jars.  Seal.

Or my rough 'n ready jam.
Pick, scrooge, or buy red gooseberries!  Top and tail, v. boring, don't always bother to tail :-[ !  Weigh your loot and put aside the same amount of sugar, preferably preserving but not essential.

Pick elderflowers on a warm sunny afternoon.
Put washed gooseberries in a wide saucepan with just enough water to stop them sticking, add a good splosh of lemon juice.  Place elder flower heads on top, stalks upright (handle!).  Very gently heat until gooseberries are soft, stirring just enough so they don't stick.  It is nice if some hold their shape.  Don't add the sugar until you think they are cooked enough for your liking, as this stops them from softening.
Take out the whole elderflower heads.
Add sugar and bring to a rapid boil.  Usual jam tests. 
Try not to burn your mouth by eating before it gets cold :roflanim:
Works just as well with green gooseberries but red makes a pretty pink jam :thumbsup: .  And you won't find it in the shops...

 

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