You first need to make the elderflower cordial, I have invented this recipe to use up the lemons that are so wonderfully flavoured with the elder flowers, it seems such a waste to bin them when they can be made into this delicious marmalade.

I make it by covering the lemons in a half water and half elderflower cordial and cook until they are tender and slightly caramelized.

Weigh them and add the same weight in sugar

Bring to the boil (110c)  and continue at a rolling boiling  until setting point is reached. This can be checked by the cold plate test, put a teaspoon of marmalade on the plate and let it cool, if it wrinkles when you push your finger against it, it is at setting point.

Bottle in clean and sterile jars.

The recipe I used is very simple
1 ltr water
1 kg sugar
1 ltr jug of flowers not pushed down
1 unwaxed lemon
50g citric acid (bought from the local chemist/pharmacy)

Boil the water
Add the sugar
When the sugar is dissolved pour over the flowers and lemon
Stir through the citric acid

Now leave to steep for two to three days

Strain the mixture through some muslin or use a new j-cloth that you have rinsed or even a coffee filter to line a sieve and remove the solids.

You can use  recycled plastic milk bottles that have been sterilised with a ‘baby bottle cleaner’ such as Milton.

Freeze the cordial but a friend who makes a lot of wine says if you add a Campden tablet (1 tablet per gallon) it will keep indefinately, I might try this method with a small sample.

The lemons I use are not thrown away either as I make a small batch of Lemon Marmalade.

The used flowers go to the compost bin!