Cordial

[Jesse]

I'm trying to find a recipe for blackberry cordial and elderberry cordial, does anyone have a tried and tested recipe? :)

[Jesse]

[Doris_Pinks]

Hey Jess, have consulted a few of my trusty books, and the general consensus is..........  buy ribena!! ;D  ;D   But if you want to give it a go..............syrups and squashes must be sterilised or they will ferment, this can be done in 2 ways, the hot method.....stand the filled bottles in a deep panfill with water and keep at 77c for 30 mins, or at simmering point, 88c for 20 mins. The water should cover the screw tops (Tops loosened 1/2 turn) or reach corks which must be tied down with string or cloth or wire. After sterilizing tighten the screw tops and press in corks firmly. (sealing with wax or adhesive tape)
Or cold method, add 1 campden tablet dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water to each 600ml (pint) liquid, it may cause the colour to fade a little but does not affect the taste.
That all said and done, have found the following recipe for Elderberry syrup....................
1lb Elderberries
1/4 pint water
8oz sugar to each pint juice


Blackberry syrup
1/4 pint water to each 1lb fruit
8-12oz sugar to each pint juice


Method for both

Put fruit into the top of a double saucepan or basin over hot water. Adding the water if required.
Press down the juice to extract it, (potato masher might be good here!) and cook for about 1 hour or until you are sure all the juice is extracted, press down during cooking.
Strain through a jelly bag or several layers of fine muslin.
Measure juice and add sugar, heat together until sugar is dissolved, stirring well during this time.
DO NOT CONTINUE BOILING when sugar has dissolved.
Pour the syrup into jars and proceed with chosen method of sterilization.
Good luck! ;D

[Jesse]

Thanks DP :D Going to pick some more blackberries later this afternoon. All the recipes I found contain brandy, don't think it would be the best option for packed lunches once schools go back! ;D I'll try your recipe and the hot sterilising method and I might also try making the syrup and freezing in small plastic milk bottles (sterilised first), not sure if it will work but worth a try, I'm rapidly running out of glass bottles. As for buying Ribena, that's the whole point of making this cordial, trying to avoid buying Ribena....have you seen the price of the stuff! :o I haven't bought for a few months because the kids have taken a liking to the elderflower cordial but it's rapidly running out.

[Svea]

get some more at IKEA (yes i know, the first place you would look! :))

[jennym]

I do blackcurrant and blackberry cordial every year. My method is: Bring the fruit up to the boil in enough water just to cover it. Take off heat and allow to cool. When cool, mash with potato masher or put through a press if you have one. Then put the mashed up fruit into a muslin straining bag and allow to drip through ovenight. I use muslin tied with clean string and suspended over a very large pan. Then for each pint of juice, add a pound of sugar and boil to 100 degrees C for 5 minutes. You can then bottle it straight away. If you don't have enough bottles to cope, you could freeze it in cheap plastic jugs, then pop into a plastic bag for long term storage in the freezer. When de-frosting, pop it into the jug and keep in the fridge (it disappears quickly enough!). You can also make ice lollies from this if you have the moulds, also use it in milk shakes.