Recipe: Homemade elderberry syrup!

Elderflower syrup a summer hit in Tennengau

The first elderflowers are already blooming again in Salzburg and the desire for delicious refreshment with the sweet syrup made from elderflowers is rising again. Whether as elderberry juice with tap water, spritzed with soda or mineral water, as "Kaiserspritzer" with wine or with Prosecco as "Hugo", the elderflower syrup is versatile and simply delicious - especially on hot days a real thirst quencher! But the elderflower syrup is also perfect as an additive in desserts or as water ice.

If you want to make the syrup yourself and don"t have a suitable recipe yet, then read on and get our family recipe for the best elderberry syrup! I"ll also give you a few tips and tell you a few more things about elderberries, or as we say here in Salzburg - the HOLLER!

So let"s go! Grab a basket and collect some elderflowers. The blossoming season for elderflowers has already begun and, unfortunately, is quickly coming to an end. The weather in Salzburgerland is currently perfect for collecting and invites you to take long walks.

Holler can do much more!

Elder is best known for its delicious syrup! Pick up a few more cones right away, because you can do much more with the blossoms. Do you know what? How about ...

... Baked elderberry

Dip the fresh elderberries on the stem into a batter (70g plain flour, 2x 50ml beer/milk and 1 egg whisked together) and bake in a pan with oil until golden. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with icing sugar. This goes very well with a fruit compote such as apple puree or a delicious vanilla ice cream.

... Dried elderflowers

Don"t just think of summer refreshment, in winter too, elderberry can not only warm you with an infusion of tea, but also strengthen you. Elder is also widely known as a remedy. For centuries, the elderberry blossom has been valued as a medicinal plant and used as a well-known household remedy. Elder is said to help with colds, fever, anxiety and depressive moods. In addition, elder activates the metabolism and gently drains the body. The essential oils and plant substances often work wonders!

Elderflower syrup - the family recipe to make yourself!

Our cellar is full of homemade juices and jams. Even though summer makes us especially crave the refreshing elderberry juices and mixed drinks, the syrup is very popular all year round. Because of its long shelf life, you can stock up on elderberry syrup all year round, as long as you produce enough in advance now in early summer and don"t give too much away ;-)

I"ll now tell you how easy it is to make elderberry syrup yourself and what you need to do it!

INGREDIENTS for approx. 5 litres of elderflower syrup:

• 400 g elderflowers
• 4 kg granulated sugar
• 4 litres of water
• 2 untreated organic lemons
• 80 - 100 g citric acid
• Clean container (e.g. 10 litre bucket)
• Glass bottles

PREPARATION - Elderflower syrup:

1. Place the collected elderflowers with the pre-cut lemon slices in a clean container.
2. Bring the granulated sugar and tap water to the boil and pour over the elderflower and lemon mixture while still warm.
3. When the liquid has cooled down (1 day later), stir in the citric acid.
4. Cover the jar loosely with a tea towel and leave to stand for 2 to 3 days.
5. Then strain the flower-lemon mixture through a fine sieve with a straining cloth.
6. Fill the syrup into clean glass bottles with a tight screw cap and store.

3 TIPS for elderberry syrup:

• Shelf life: If stored in a cool, dark and dry place - preferably in the cellar - elderflower syrup will keep for up to a year!
• Do not harvest the fully opened blossoms immediately after a rainy day, but best on dry sunny days and shake the blossoms free of insects (do not wash)!
• Also fill smaller bottles. A homemade syrup is an ideal gift for birthdays & co and is well suited to hang a voucher or bank notes on it.

Elder has a 2nd harvest season!

You have overlooked the harvest time of elderflowers in May/June? Then just wait until August/September. Then the blossoms turn into red elderberries and can again be made into delicious juices, jams, liqueurs or the popular elderberry boil (hot dish).

Elder time in Salzburgerland!

Are you also in elderberry fever every year and can hardly wait to collect and process the fresh elderberry blossoms in Salzburg again? And how do you prefer to drink the elderberry refreshment? Personally, I prefer the elder juice spritzed with soda and definitely prefer the Kaiserspritzer with wine to the Hugo with Prosecco. I"m also more of a fan of the blossoms than the berries. And for the winter, I warmly recommend dried elderflowers. The tea tastes very good and is also effective against various illnesses.

In any case, good luck with the elderberry syrup production and, above all, enjoy tasting it. And if you just want to enjoy it, visit the Pucher Gastro and have the elderberry delicacies served to you.

Hier geht´s nach Puch bei Hallein