In the late summer and early autumn, I have an abundance of elderberries to harvest and process. My favorite elderberry recipe is simple, tasty, and full of vitamin C. This lightly spiced elderberry syrup is delicious served over ice cream or yogurt and adds plenty of flavor to a cocktail or some sparkling water.
Here’s a tip for harvesting elderberries: Clip the stem at the base of a ripe cluster of berries and drop the cluster (still on the stem) into a paper bag. Put the entire bag in the freezer until the berries are frozen. Close the bag tightly and shake vigorously. Most of the berries will easily fall off the stems. Pluck the remaining elderberries by hand. Do not eat the stems or leaves.
TIME: 1.5 hours
INGREDIENTS
1 cup fresh or frozen elderberries
2 cups of water
2–3 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
2-inch knob of fresh ginger root (No need to peel the ginger; just roughly chop it.)
8 oz. honey
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add the elderberries and spices to a large cooking pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about one hour until the liquid has reduced by approximately half. As the liquid cooks, gently spoon out any small stems that have floated to the surface.
2. Let cool just slightly before pouring the contents through a fine sieve. Press the elderberries with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Let the strained liquid cool for a few more minutes before adding the honey and stirring. You will want the juice warm enough to allow the honey to mix in well. Store in a glass container in the fridge. The syrup will last about two weeks in the refrigerator. Shake your container well before serving. Enjoy!
Christine Green is the managing editor of Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.
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