If you plan to pick elderflower for elderflower syrup, the elderflower season is quite short. According to the Woodland Trust, elderflower, recognizable by the blooming of small, creamy-white flowers in racemes, lasts from mid-May to mid-June.
Despite blooming in late spring, the light, sweet, floral flavor of elderflower is a summer mainstay and the perfect flavor for cocktails and desserts.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go foraging, as elderflower syrup and liqueurs, such as St Germain, are readily available all year round.
Elderflower syrup turns any cocktail into a summer sensation. Only three ingredients, gin, elderflower syrup and mashed cucumber, are needed for our elderflower cooler. It’s incredibly refreshing and a seasonal change from a gin and tonic.
Of course, for G&T fans, our elderflower gin and tonic adds elderflower syrup to the mix. And if you really want to forage, you can make your own elderflower syrup when the flowers are in season. It’s much easier than you might think.
Jelly and ice cream get a lift with the addition of elderflower. A no churn ice cream is a great time saver and our no churn elderflower ice cream uses St Germain and has a raspberry coulis swirled through it for extra sweetness.
For a summery showstopper, you can’t beat our lemon and elderflower pie. It would be perfect for a small wedding and was in fact inspired by the wedding cake the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had. It is a four-layer lemon sponge, soaked in elderflower syrup and Prosecco, and frozen with an elderflower-scented buttercream.
