Elderberry Syrup
2 photos in this post.
Last winter we purchased Elderberry Syrup during the cold season but it was rather expensive. I happened to mention something to Jess about it or she said something to me, can’t remember! Anyways, she knew where there were some elderberry trees so last Friday off we went up a gravel road. Sydnee LOVES to climb trees so she was extremely helpful in pulling the big branches down for us to grab.
Elderberries are very small and grow in bunches. Do NOT eat them raw as the pips contain cyanide! With all the other fruit needing attention it was not until yesterday that I got to make some syrup. (We had made some at Michael and Jessie’s on Saturday. Boy, was it good!) I lay no claim to the recipe below. In fact I found it on an Amazon review when I was considering purchasing some dried elderberries.
- 2 cups fresh/frozen elderberries or 1 cup dried (minus stalks)
- 4 cups water
- 3 small cinnamon sticks or 1 1/2 large
- 3 whole cloves
- 2″ piece of ginger, chopped
- 2/3 cup honey (We use raw.)
- Bring all ingredients (minus honey) to the boil.
- Simmer on low for 30-45 minutes until reduced to about half.
- Strain and cool.
- Once cool stir in honey.
- Store in refrigerator.
The recipe above will fill a pint jar. The recommendation is to take one tablespoon daily, more if you actually have a cold.
I am going to freeze the rest of the berries in 2 cup packets. They can be dehydrated but at this time just do not have time to do so with so much other fruit needing attention. They do not take up much room in the freezer. The elderberries we picked were “blue elderberries” which are what grow around here. Apparently they turn white on the outside when ripe.
Stay well naturally,
Liz
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