Topic: Elderflower cordial time again

[gazza1960]

Ok it's that time again and after dodging around 100 cars as our best elder trees are along the reservoir roads so Gazza dodges the traffic to pick a big bag of heads.
So,I use standard recipe....elder flower heads...water...lemon and orange peel ....Plus citric acid .........and of course the diabetics friend..Mr sugar...it's the last bit I wanna change as I was wondering if anybody had tried to make it with sugar substitute....?

Or if you peeps have tried any tasty alternative elderflower cordial recipes you might want to divulge.

Cheers Gazza

[gwynleg]

Havent got other recipes to offer but hope others have. I am waiting for the sun to shine when I am up the lottie so I can pick the new elderflowers without the cat pee smell - hoping this weekend might be the time. I wonder if stevia would be worth trying?

[gazza1960]

I've read a bit about stevia solution that can be used instead of things like Splenda it's just working out a stevia amount that equals 2kg of natural sugar......

Cheers ill look into it gwynleg.....


Gazza

[galina]

Interesting to swap with stevia.  I guess you need to either freeze or heat sterilise/preserve the cordial with stevia, because it won't have the same preservation power as sugary syrup? Can stevia powder/liquid extract be heated?

I found a conversion chart to US cups.  1 cup equals 200gr sugar.

http://www.stevia.com/stevia_sugar_substitute.aspx

I wonder whether yacon syrup could be flavoured with elderflower?  Wrong time of the year, so either the yacon syrup or the elderflower would need to be frozen and mixed later.  Can dried elderflowers be used?  How does one make elderflower extract?  Yes please post what you come up with Gazza and good suggestion Gwynleg.


PS - the website does answer my question - duh! should have read it all first - Stevia is heat stable and can be used for cooking and baking. 

[gazza1960]

Interesting link Galina.,,,,,,,,,

1 cup = 4 oz = 2 tsps,,,,,,

So on that basis the 2.5 kgs of nat sugar should be around 20 tsps of stevia......ye gods

Blimey,sounds Alot even if the quantities are correct.

I did read of folks using it in tea and coffee ...1 drop per cup being enough to sweeten it but if you overdose the amounts it takes on a bitter twang.
So my concern was to over sweeten the elderflower cordial with stevia and end up making it bitter.

Oh joy,ill just have to experiment......watch this space.

Cheers for the link Galina x

Gazza

[goodlife]

How about still making it with sugar but made into 'light' syryp.. halve the amount of sugar and replace the rest with stevia. It is still better than full 'blown' sugar cordial..though the storing will be the issue. Sadly it is the sugar that will 'carry' the flowers flavour best.
I'm making some soon too...though what I've learned from past concoctions..I use as many flower heads as I can immerge under the 'syryp...trying to achive more potent flavour. Then 'little goes long way' when it comes using it. Not perharps the best tasting 'recipe' on its own but when using it for cooking as well or blending with other drinks it sort of stand out bit better.
And my other reasoning doing it so....I don't need to do gallons of the stuff and the smaller amount I do I don't have to bother with sterizing bottles etc... I freeze it smaller batches and it will keep be going for long time.
Having stronger flavour it can be diluted more with water and then added stevia if more sweeter flavour is needed.

[galina]

Interesting suggestion Goodlife - sort of half-way house.  Didn't know that sugar was involved in carrying the flavour.  Hmmm

Gazza, I wondered about conversions too.  What I like about this webpage is that is addresses several stevia products.  Powdered, clear liquid, extract powder, concentrate.  I didn't know it came in so many forms, but it appears that all these have different strengths and yes - get it wrong and one could spoil the cordial with a stevia overdose.  Might be safer to aim for half strength initially, as it can always be sweetened on consumption, as Goodlife suggested. 

My stevia are growing in the greenhouse and I am a bit at a loss how to use the fresh leaves.  Probably not enough for making elderflower cordial even on a big plant anyway

1 kg equivalents:
For clear stevia liquid, 1kg sugar = 10 teaspoons
For stevia extract powder = 4 teaspoons
For stevia sweetener powder (whatever that is) = it would be 15 to 20 Table spoons

The extract powder must be the product with the highest concentration, the sweetener seems to be the least concentrated one and probably has fillers in it to make it look more like real sugar.

If your stevia product is the clear liquid, then yes, it is 20-25 teaspoons for 2.5kg of sugar equivalent by my reckoning too.

Will definitely watch this space Gazza.  Best of luck. 
 

[Digeroo]

At this time of year I simply pick the flowers cover with boiling water. Then strain and add a bit of lemon juice and then drink it fresh no sugar or sweetner added.   Does not lack flavour.  But is only available a few weeks a year. 

But after a while I am tired of it and then wait until next year.   

It might be interesting to freeze the infusion.

Has anyone tried freezing the flowers.

[manicscousers]

Just picked the elderflower heads for tomorrow. I freeze the infusion and dilute with diet lemonade. I've picked enough to make gooseberry and elderflower jelly, too 

[gazza1960]

That's got merit Digeroo,ill try that approach as I have plenty and have willing participants at the plot who are either Asian and have not heard of it or just don't drink it ,so ill try non sweetened and add some stevia drops for those that need it sweet,and will try a 50/50 sugar syrup and stevia
Concoction also.

Ill be getting the usual suspects in Jude's office to give their Op as well as they are so kind with comments on my Delias kitchen cauldron efforts........

Gazza

[artichoke]

I am another one who freezes bottles of cordial. I drink it all year round, so need a lot. I freeze it in open bottles, glass and plastic, and screw the tops on when the expansion is over. I find it does not keep for more than a month or two if I don't freeze it. It also means I can, and do, use less sugar, as keeping is no longer an issue. I like to drink a lot of water every day, and a tiny quantity of the cordial in a glass of water improves the flavour enormously.

Interesting idea about putting stevia in to replace some of the sugar. I shall try it.