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Hi
Does anyone have any tried and tested recipes for elderberries. New to the board so apologies if this has already been covered!
We have loads growing round where we live and also at the allotment site. Every year I look at them and vow to do something with them and this year I want to make sure I do so any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated.

I used to make fantastic elderberry wine - it tasted like port! look up recipes on Google.
Ann

don't stick them in vodka.
apple pie with a twist? fake halloween blood? erm... no other ideas really.

Elderberry wine, certainly - Google it and, as there are about a million recipes, choose the one which suits what you already have in your cupboards (better still, choose one which mixes the elderberries with something else like blackberries, unless you have the patience to wait for a couple of years). Then again, something which has always sounded interesting but which I've never tried is elderberry syrup. Once again, Googling will bring in a host of results.

If you have a go at the syrup, keep us informed how it all goes.

Mother always used them in Summer Pudding with elderberries and apples. Rich and sustaining with Bird's custard.
I now make hedgerow jam using elderberries, bilberries and blackberries. They can also add an extra 'umph' to plain old apple pie. Gather loads and freeze them then they can be used through the winter otherwise you'll spend a year looking back and wishing 'if only'.
The jam is our family favourite and never seems to last longer than spring no matter how much is made.

Don't have any recipes handy - I like elderberry jelly and wine; I also added them to bottled plums in the past for more flavour. We had a traditional elderberry soup back home, which was served with "snowballs" floating on it (egg white dumplings).

I always add some to apple crumble for colour and flavour. Elderberry jelly is delicious too.

Cheers for that. I had taken a look on the net but sometimes you are never sure how these things are going to taste! Thought I would see if anyone was using them successfully. Summer pudding sounds good...

Elderberry Cordial
Elderberries (still on stalks)
Sugar
Cloves
Pick the fruit on a dry day and stew with the stalks in a large stainless steel saucepan, with just enough water to cover.

Strain through muslin squeezing to get all the juice.

To each pint of juice add 1 lb (450g) of white granulated sugar and 10 cloves.

Boil for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool and bottle in sterile bottles with good quality plastic screw-on tops making sure you distribute the cloves evenly amongst the bottles (they act as a preservative).

The cordial can be used immediately, and will keep well for a year or two.

Taken with hot water it is renowned as a guard against colds, and a glass a day through winter is a wise precaution.
I have made this without the cloves as I don’t like the taste very much … and it keeps well enough … Also added brandy to it … maybe that’s why it keeps …nah I have made just as a cordial for the kids and they love it …

Elderberry Jelly.

2 quarts (1.9 litres) elderberries with stems removed
2 cups (500ml) water
1 box pectin
5 cups (1200ml) sugar
In a sauce pan simmer the elderberries in the water until berries are soft.

Strain through a cloth.

Be sure you have 3½ cups of juice; if not, pour a little water through the crushed berries.

Return the 3½ cups juice to pan.

Add pectin to the juice and bring to a boil.

Stir in the sugar and bring to a full rolling boil.

Boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat, skim and pour into hot sterilized jars, seal and label.

Tried and tested the above but not below...

Elderberry Mead Port (3 gal)

10 lb. (5Kg) light clover honey
1 oz. (25g) tartaric acid
8 oz. (200g) dried Elderberries
1 yeast (EC 1118)

Procedure:
Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil in a stainless or ceramic pan and remove heat source.
Add tartaric acid and honey, stir gently to dissolve.
Depending on how the honey was processed, there may be wax and protein substance that will collect at the surface. Gently skim anything that appears, using a screen spoon.
Cover and allow tocool to 85f. Pour this into a 3 gallon carboy, add yeast and attach air lock.
Allow to fermentation to proceed for two days before adding elderberries.
Do a quick cold water wash on the dried elderberries using a large fine screen strainer.
A lot of liquid which appears brown will pass through. Put the rinsed elderberries in the carboy using a funnel.
Rack once about 4 weeks into the fermentation discarding the elderberries.

There ended the recipe … so I assume you bottle it into sterile bottles and let it sit a while …

Elderberry Chutney…



2 pounds Elderberries.
1 large onion.
1 pint vinegar.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger.
1 tablespoons sugar.
1/8 teaspoon cayenne.
1 tablespoon pickling spices.
1 teaspoon mustard seed.

Method

Wash berries and put into a pan, bruise then with a wooden spoon. Chop the onions and add the rest of the ingredients and the vinegar. Bring to the boil and simmer till it becomes thick. Stir well. Being careful not to let it burn as it thickens. Put into clean jars and seal … don’t forget the labels …