How often do we look forward to the splendor of white flowers that the elderberry delights us with in late spring or the beginning of summer. Many people have elderberry bushes in their own garden or at least close by, as it often grows outdoors.
The elderberry is a very versatile tree: in spring and summer you can benefit from its flowers in the kitchen, in autumn it is the black berries that are available to us for a wide variety of things.
Elderflowers are an integral part of natural medicine. The nice thing is that you don't have to have any special knowledge to use elderflowers for your he alth. The use of elderflowers in tea is outstanding. Another use that many people don't know is the production of elderflower jam.
Elderflowers are very sensitive
You have to be extremely careful when harvesting and processing elderflowers. The flowers are ready for harvest when they are fully open and also emit their strong, almost typical, intrusive smell.
It must be dry on the day of harvest. The best time is late morning so that the last traces of dew have disappeared from the flowers. The elderflowers are separated as a whole inflorescence with a sharp knife. For transport they definitely need an airy container, a basket or a wooden step.
In contrast to the production of elderflower tea, the elderflowers for jam do not have to be dried and processed immediately. You should also refrain from washing.
That's why it is extremely important to collect the elderflowers in a place that is safe for he alth, i.e. ideally in your own garden, away from roads and not directly on the ground.
The elderflowers can be used in the jam, but then they are picked off and not processed with the other ingredients. In addition, they can only serve as a flavoring agent, for example by infusing them with apple juice, then steeping them for a day and then boiling them again with the apple juice. Finally, the elderflowers are sieved out and only the liquid is used.
Elderflower and apple are an extremely successful combination and probably the only one that ultimately leads to elderflower jam. Strawberry can still be added as a third fruit, but apple and elderflower are most commonly used. The basis of most of the jams is a homemade juice made from elderflowers and apple juice, as described above.
In order to shorten the process of making jam, you can also use ready-made elderflower apple juice if you can buy it somewhere, but of course it is nicer to make your own juice for elderflower jam.
Variations of elderflower jam
It's always good to leave the beaten path and discover new things for yourself. This also applies to elderflower jam. There's nothing wrong with letting your imagination run wild and trying out combinations with other fruits. For example, there is the variant of melon - elderflower - jam or the addition of oranges.
The elderflower jam has a certain “wild” touch. You can compare it with cranberry jam. The wilderness always seems to stand out a little here too. That's why you can try elderflower jam not only on toast or rolls, but also with baked Camembert or other cheese; it is also possible to refine poultry or game.
The homemade elderflower jam is also very nice as a gift. It's something different and also extraordinary: you give a jar of homemade elderflower jam as a thank you for the invitation.
