I like to remember the time when I collected elderflowers with my grandma and made lemonade from them (which was always far too sweet hehe). I just love the smell of these flowers and it always takes me back to my childhood. This time, however, I made elderflower jelly. It's really quick and only needs a little preparation!

Elderflowers come into full bloom from the middle / end of May and can be harvested throughout June until the beginning of July. So there is plenty of time to collect them and do some Kitchen Witchery! Make sure to collect them on a sunny day to preserve their flavor.

All you need is:

• 1 liter of water (or organic apple juice with no added sugar)

• 15-20 large elderflower umbels

• 500 g preserving sugar (2:1)

• optional: lemon juice from an organic lemon

How to make the elderberry jelly step by step:

1. Collect the elderflower umbels on a sunny day. Be mindful and give thanks to the elder tree!

2. Remove any insects from the elderflowers and cut off the thick stems. If you wash the flowers, some of the flavor will be lost, but I always wash everything I collect from the wild.

3. Place the elderflower umbels in a sufficiently large container and pour the water or apple juice over them. Tip: Place a plate on top of the flowers so that they remain submerged in the water / apple juice.

4. Place a clean kitchen towel on the bowl and leave the mixture in the fridge for 1-2 days. Stir from time to time.

5. Strain the liquid through a kitchen sieve and then again through a sieve with a gauze cloth. There should be about 850-900ml of liquid left (also check the quantities on the gelling sugar you are using and adjust the liquid accordingly)

6. Put a small dish in your freezer (for the jelly sample)

7. Pour the liquid into a sufficiently large pot and add the preserving sugar.

8. Bring the whole thing to the boil, stir and add some magic aka intentions!

9. Allow the liquid to boil for 5 minutes (it may foam too much at the beginning, so be careful!)

10. Next, make a sample to check if your jelly is ready: place a teaspoon of the jelly on the cold plate. When the jelly hardens, it is ready. Otherwise, let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes and make the sample again.

11. If you want more sourness in your jelly, you can add a little lemon juice.

12. Now pour the liquid into your (sterilised) jars and turn them upside down. The jelly needs about 24 hours to become solid. :)

Enjoy with some freshly baked bread or croissant. It is so refreshing and delicious! 🥰

Disclaimer❗Always make sure you know what you are collecting. Don't collect herbs & plants you are not familiar with! If you need help, ask someone who can help you and has the knowledge to do so. Also, this post is for knowledge transfer purposes only, please always do your own research❗