In 2006 I was in Copenhagen visiting family, and a couple days into the visit they set about making their annual batch of elderflower syrup, or in Danish: Hyldeblomstsaft. I’d never heard of the stuff. It was love at first sniff. I had them dictate the recipe to me and I have had it stashed away since then, hoping to come across elderflower locally.
This year my search for some flowers became more of a priority. I experimented through this past winter with back-sweetening of apple wines with elderflower syrup [IKEA sells a version, believe it or not] rather than plain simple syrup. It’s a lovely match. The elderflower gives the nose an ehrenfelser-gewurztraminer-like high-toned aromatic vibe, and the sugar involved balances the often forceful acidity of the apple wine. It transforms an austere wine, suited to standing up to rustic and fatty things like pork shoulder confit, to something more finessy and aperitif-like that would be suitable for light dishes, salads, fish, etc. It’s also just plain tasty.
What follows is not part of the ‘I think’ in the title. The recipes should be sound. I made two versions: the first from my Marcussen cousins, the second my own creation. Theirs, as most do, include acid of some kind, and involve lemons. I get it. It makes a delightful and balanced product that I had no intention on missing out on. But I also wanted to design something that was suited specifically to back-sweetening apple wine using only locally available products. First was the deletion of lemons since they way are not local, and I’m also not really after a lemon-vibe in my wine. Second to get axed was the acid. If I’m back-sweetening to tone down the wine’s acid, doesn’t make much sense to having any in the syrup. Third was replacing the sugar with honey – more locally available, and also brings some aromatics of its own to the party. That left my version with 3 ingredients: water, honey, and elderflower. Pretty simple.
The ‘I think’ bit is that I’m not 100% sure what I’m working with here is elderflower. I did a pile of research online, and the flowers look the same, but the clusters are different in shape and the leaves look different. Wikipedia says there are many regional varieties and sub-species. I’m rolling the dice a bit. I’m badass. Don’t do this at home. My nose says I’m on the right track, and one cluster of flowers from last night’s scouting aromatized our whole house overnight. The season also seems right – my understanding is that they flower in June and these trees were just finishing up [ie, they were flowering end of June]. Plants are also late this year. If somebody out there can confirm yay or nay on my flower ID, do let me know in the comments. One way or the other, I’m going to end up with a flower sryup of some kind. Hardcore, risk-taking teenie-white-flower syrup action.
Lydia Marcussen’s Recipe [dictated off the top of her head, from my 2006 travel notes]
20-25 bunches elderflower, 1.25 L boiling water in a non-reactive pot, 1.25 kg sugar, 25 g tartaric acid [Vinsyre in bottom picture, which in Denmark is apparently used for cleaning the bathroom, or drinking], 2-4 lemons, sliced. Shake flowers free of bugs. Make solution of water, sugar, and acid. Add flowers, cover, and let cool. Stir and chill for 2-3 days, twice a day or so. Strain with cheesecloth. Freeze in small containers. Makes syrup or concentrate, add cold water in winter to make refereshing drinks. Serve with lemon slices. Good with dry Martini vermouth.
My Apple Wine Back-Sweetener Recipe
Equal parts honey and boiling water by weight. About 25 flower bunches per liter of water. That’s it. [Note that some oxidization will occur, not a problem for my end use as brownish elderflower juice isn’t that far off color from apple juice/wine.] 
11 Comments on “Hyldeblomstsaft. I think.”
Looks like the elderflowers we have where I live. Great idea on back sweetening your apple wine. I will definitely have to try that.
This looks great. We loved drinking keiserspritz (sp?) in Vienna, which is champagne with elderflower syrup.
Vanja’s mother makes this syrup from her trees every year for drinking with soda over ice on a hot summer day. Where did you find the flowers?
:)
Valerie
Interesting recipes, I like what you are doing with the honey and elder flowers. So I had our houses elderberry/flower expert, my wife, look at your picture and she confirms that it is indeed elderflowers that you are working with.
Can’t confirm those blossoms but got me thinking about my linden tree in my yard. When it blossoms (sometime in the next month!), you are more than welcome in grabbing some. It’s so fragrant and I’ve dried them for tea but might be lovely in your wine.
Marcus – do try it, and glad you figure I’m on the right track…
Isabelle – I’ve had it in sparkling water, and wine, but not sparkling wine!!
Valerie – I found the trees on a boulevard near me, driving home one day. Figured I’d go take a closer look, and sure enough.
Mike – I appreciate your expert wife’s input. ;) And yours too.
Maki – I took a look at linden blossoms online, and looks like folks use it in a similar fashion. Do let me know when it blossoms and I’ll pop over to grab some to try it out!
Went for a walk today by the park and went “that’s the blossoms Kevin wrote about!”. Then I noticed the bottom branches had less blossoms than the higher ones. I’m a blossom tracker :) I know where you’ve been ;) hahaha.
Question. Are you sweetening your wine before you bottle, or after you open a bottle?
Maki – that wasn’t me!
Marcus – after, to avoid bottle fermentation and mess.
Kevin I made this in Italy – there it is known as Sambuco! What a refreshing syrup it was to mix with water – like a lemonade of sorts. I couldnt get enough of it. We used citric acid along with the lemons so there was definite acidity. Once we get into our house I would love an elderberry bush and as far as I have seen some of the seed catalogues. Cant wait to taste it again…
here’s another elderflower lover… :)
http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2010/06/elderflower-syrup.html