Elderberry cordial and wine

[GeorgeSalt]

This recipe has worked out so well I need to share.. the cordial is based on the recipe in Darina Allen's Forgotten Skills of Cooking (p.43) and the wince recipe is my own based on a discussion on what to do with excess cordial.

For the cordial..

1lb (450g) elderberries
1lb (450g) sugar per pint of juice
1 lemon

Multiply up the ingredients to match the available elderberries.

Strip the elderberries, rinse and place in a large saucepan. Just cover the berries with cold water. Add the zest of the lemon to the berries. Bring to the boil and simmer until the berries are soft (20-30 minutes).

Give them a mash with a potato peeler and strain through a jam/jelly muslin. Measure the juice and return to the pan. A 1lb sugar for every pint of juice and the juice of the lemon. Bring to the boil until the sugar dissolves and simmer for 10 minutes.

Bottle into sterilised bottles and seal. It can be diluted as a cordial/squash, or poured over icecream or into yoghurt.


For the wine..

70cl elderberry cordial (one bottle)
125g sugar
Supermarket red grape juice to the gallon
General purpose red wine yeast

Ferment as the recipe suggests, starting with the cordial, sugar, 3 litres of the grape juice and the yeast. Top-up with grape juice once the initial ferment dies down. Rack once and allow to mature in bulk for 3-4 months before racking and bottling. This wine is a fruity red and drinkable almost immediately but will improve with keeping.

Dates on my notes, started 5th May, racked 23rd May, racked and stablised 6th September and bottled three or four days later. You could omit the stop stage if required, it is very drinkable whilst young.

I've also made a batch using white grape juice but I can see no difference in colour between the two. This batch is still maturing in bulk and will be bottled soon. I've been reminded of this as I've just opened a ottle to put a glass into the lamb shanks cooking on the top of the woodburner for dinner tonight. The rest will be drunk to accompany it.

[wabbit955]

will have to have a go at this got far to much cordial left from last year
but missed the elderberries this year so did not put any wine on
just drunk my first bottle from last year the first i made and was very yummy
so this might fill the gap hehe

[MKG]

You waited a whole year?

You have the patience of a saint

Glad you enjoyed it.

Mike