Ingredients
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2½ kg white sugar
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2 unwaxed lemons
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20 fresh elderflower heads, stalks trimmed
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85g citric acid
Method
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Put the sugar and 1.5 litres of water into the largest saucepan you have. Gently heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Give it a stir every now and again. Pare the zest from the lemons, then slice the lemons into rounds.
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Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the pan of syrup to the boil, then turn off the heat. Fill a washing up bowl with cold water. Give the flowers a gentle swish around to loosen any dirt or insects. Lift flowers out, gently shake and transfer to the syrup along with the lemons, zest and citric acid, then stir well. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 24 hrs.
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Line a colander with a clean tea towel, then sit it over a large bowl or pan. Ladle in the syrup – let it drip slowly through. Discard the bits left in the towel. Use a funnel and a ladle to fill bottles.
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It can be frozen or kept in fridge for 2 months