Can you freeze Elderflower's

[lost the plot]

Hi

Just a quick question, has anyone tried to freeze Elderflowers so that you can make it into cordial and champagne later in the summer. I guess you can freeze the berry's later in the year.

Thanks

Clare

[skintnbitter]

Not sure about the flowers, but yes to the berrys.  I freeze my berrys every year so i can have a batch of wine going every 6 months and not had a problem to date.


 

[triffid]

No, haven't tried that -- though we do freeze the cordial itself (otherwise, ours doesn't seem to keep more than a couple of months; not like the bought stuff).
I have a feeling that frozen elderflowers done in a domestic freezer might defrost as a soggy-petalled mess. But it could be worth a go -- after all, they're free. 
You can oven-dry them -- haven't done so myself but I have a bag from last year dried by an Aga-owning friend.

[cleo]

Yes you can-just pop the bunches  in a plastic bag and freeze--and the flowers tend to fall off saving all that faffing around

[daxzen]

will anyone share recipe for the cordial or wine with me?

[GlentoranMark]

There's 3 recipe's on this thread, the Champagne one seems a very common one which I've seen on several sites and in my allotment book.

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/elderflowercordial.htm

[lost the plot]

Right, just checked the 2 bag's of Elderflower's that picked and put in the freezer on Saturday and they look fine. Might be onto a winner, Just going to bottle up 8 Litres of Elderflower champagne. Once they are ready to drink, I will get another batch on the go and see if the frozen flowers work.
 Oh the taste of summer. Happy days.

[caroline7758]

I'm half way through a bottle of cordial which I made last year and put in the freezer. Only took it out about a month ago. Interestingly it doesn't freeze solid- not sure what the science is there!Just noticed the flowers are out on the tree near us- time to start again!

[triffid]

Yum, Caroline. 
Gives me hope for the lot I'm making -- too much to use now, so definitely destined for the freezer.

Btw, the cordial doesn't freeze solid because of its high sugar content. That's why sorbets don't set like rock. (or ice  ) 

[caroline7758]

Ah, I see!

[Digeroo]

I love the flavour of elderlfower, but all the recipes are sooo full of sugar.  They need to be to preserve well.  But this makes them so fattening.  And once you start to give up sugar it tastes so horribly sweet. Found one recipe with Sucralose instead but the more I read about that the less I like it.  So if they freeze well this will be great. 

[BarriedaleNick]

I picked a bag full of elderflowers today with the intention of making some cordial but they had no scent at all.  In fact what scent they had was slightly unpleasant.
I am missing something here - is there a best time to pick the flowers or something?

[caroline7758]

No, that's what they are like!

[manicscousers]

just got my elderflowers, ready for tomorrow to make my cordial, they're in a vase at the moment 

[killerflies]

Its the high sugar content!

I'm half way through a bottle of cordial which I made last year and put in the freezer. Only took it out about a month ago. Interestingly it doesn't freeze solid- not sure what the science is there!Just noticed the flowers are out on the tree near us- time to start again!

[killerflies]

Sorry, a bit late with that last reply below.

Also, if you dehydrate the flowers in a dehydrator or very low oven for a few hours (with the door open) they will keep if stored in an airtight container.

I bought some in the healthfood shop last winter and they worked for cordial perfectly. Will be trying with the Champagne this winter.

Its the high sugar content!

I'm half way through a bottle of cordial which I made last year and put in the freezer. Only took it out about a month ago. Interestingly it doesn't freeze solid- not sure what the science is there!Just noticed the flowers are out on the tree near us- time to start again!

[manicscousers]

just made my first lot of cordial today,plus trying freezing some flower heads for later 

[STEVEB]

I picked a bag full of elderflowers today with the intention of making some cordial but they had no scent at all.  In fact what scent they had was slightly unpleasant.
I am missing something here - is there a best time to pick the flowers or something?

Caerful which you pick some can smell like cats pee

[artichoke]

Elder leaves and stalks smell horrible. My experience is that when you take a lot of stalk with the flowers the smell is transferred to the cordial. But if you grab the flowers, cut the stalks off near your fingers with scissors, and drop the handfuls of flowers into your bag, that is a quick and easy way of picking as little stalk as possible. Leaves lots of little green starfish on the trees.....

[scottcairo]

Yes you can, I make (commercially) Organic Elderflower cordial, and we use frozen Elderflower conc, but we have in the past used frozen E/Flower which comes in a very light brine.