If you love fruity gin, then you’re going to love this tipple. With gin’s popularity showing no signs of abating there’s so much choice around, but it’s great fun experimenting with your own flavours.
Having been a bit of a late-comer to gin, since I discovered a liking to the G&T, I have enjoyed infusing gin with different flavours. As it’s elderflower season, I’ve tried a new flavour this year, elderflower and lemon. Last year I made elderflower and rhubarb gin, which was great, but elderflower and lemon definitely has the edge.
Ingredients
- Large sterilised Kilner Jar
- 100g granulated sugar
- 10 heads of elderflowers (washed)
- 1 lemon, roughly sliced
- 1 litre of gin
- Sterilised bottle for storing the flavoured gin (you will need this 2 weeks later)
Method
Take your sterilised bottle and pour in your bottle of gin. Then add the sugar, elderflowers and lemon slices.
Seal your jar and leave for around 2 weeks. Give the bottle a shake every day for the first few days.
After 2 weeks, strain the gin into a clean container through a cloth such as a clean muslin cloth to remove all remnants of the added ingredients. Finally decant your gin into your desired bottle (make sure it is sterilised) and most importantly – enjoy!
How to sterilise your bottles
Firstly clean your bottles in hot, soapy water, rinsing to remove any bubbles. Make sure that you remove any rubber rings from the bottle. Without drying, gently put the bottles in the oven and heat to 120c. Once the oven has reached 120c, turn off the over and leave the bottles in the oven until they have completely dried. Be careful when you take the bottles out of the oven so that you do not burn yourself. Allow the bottles to cool fully before using them. Don’t forget to re-attach any of the rubber pieces from the bottles.
Where and when to find elderflowersÂ
You will find elderflowers growing on the shrub, Sambucus nigra.
You might be lucky enough to have a bush in your garden, if not then you will find a plentiful supply in the hedgerows in the UK from late May until mid June.
Once you know what you are looking for, it’s super easy to spot. Please make sure that you are able to identify the correct plant before you go foraging.
Remember to take some scissors and carrier bag with you, as the flowers will make a mess of your car. Also if you are a hay fever sufferer (like me), beware and keep the bag of flowers out of the house until you are ready to use them.
Clean Living Clare 