One of the best traditional drinks we enjoy during the summer and definitely one of the most appreciated among Romanian people. I usually prepare this soft drink from freshly picked flowers, but this time I tried it with dry ones and also swapped the regular sugar with brown one. I was very surprised to see that it fermented properly and it was very delicious!
Brown sugar elderflower cordial
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 115kcal
Equipment
- 4-5 liters mason jar or a drink dispenser jar (doesn't matter)
Ingredients
Preparation
- 3 l tap water
- 300 g brown sugar
- 10-12 dried elder flowers
- 4 lemons medium, untreated
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Serving
- 2-3 fresh mint stems
Instructions
- Wash the jar thoroughly before adding the ingredients.
- Grate 2 lemons and keep the lemon zest. Microwave the lemons for 10 seconds then squeeze the juice.
- Add the sugar, the lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest and the water in the jar, then stir with a wooden spatula until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Wash the dried flowers in a colander then add them in the jar.
- Thoroughly wash the remaining lemons, slice them and add them to the jar as well (I threw away the ends as I find them to bring a bitter taste to the drink).
- Cover the jar with a small saucer and not with the jar's lid and let it ferment for 2-3 days on a sunny window sill or a balcony.
- Stir the content each day with a clean wooden spatula and cover back with the saucer.
- The fermentation takes place naturally, you don't need to add yeast, bread or other ingredients to prepare it.
- Drain the liquid over a colander and store in glass bottles in the fridge until serving.
- Serve with fresh mint leaves, extra lemon if you like, ice or whatever fresh idea you have in mind for a sunny day 🙂Enjoy!
