Makes about 2.5 litres

- 1.3kg sugar

- 1.8 litres of boiling water

- 25 very fresh large elderflower heads

- 50g citric acid

- 2 medium oranges, sliced, and 2 large lemons, sliced

Put the sugar in a large bowl and pour on the boiling water. Stir to dissolve, then leave to cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pick over the flower heads and get rid of any nasties. Pull the flowers from their stalks — the tiny bits of stem that attach the florets don’t matter, but bin any larger ones, which will spoil the flavour. Put the sugar syrup, citric acid and sliced fruit in a large bowl or deep saucepan and add the flowers. Mix well, cover and leave to infuse somewhere cool for 24 hours, giving it the odd stir from time to time.

Next day, heat the oven to 140C/275F/ Gas Mark 1. Thoroughly wash and rinse some glass screw-top bottles and put them in the oven for 15 minutes to dry. Remove and leave to cool for 15 minutes more. Sterilise the lids by boiling in water for a few minutes, and rinse any funnels or bowls with boiling water before you use them. Putting things through a dishwasher cycle will also sterilise them.

Strain the elderflower liquid through a sieve lined with either muslin or a clean tea towel, making sure you’ve got rid of all the bits. Leave to drip for a few minutes, then discard the flowers and fruit and pour the liquid into the sterilised bottles. Seal well and leave to cool. It should keep for up to a month in the fridge. You could also decant some into plastic bottles and freeze it for later in the year, but leave room for the liquid to expand when frozen.

Drink the cordial diluted with iced fizzy water, or use in cocktails with gin or white rum.

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