Elderflower, lemon & vanilla cordial

• caster sugar↗1kg kg
• unwaxed organic lemons↗2

  halved, plus a strip of peel

• vanilla pod↗1

  seeds reserved

• citric acid↗1 tbsp tbsp

  powder or vitamin C powder

• about 40 fresh elderflowers

  shaken free of bugs, lightly rinsed

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Fill a large pan with 2 litres water. Add the sugar, lemons, vanilla pod and powder, and bring slowly to the boil. Boil rapidly until the mixture has reduced by half, then remove from the heat.

2. 2

   Add the elderflowers to the pan and stir gently. Leave to cool completely, then pass through a sieve lined with muslin into another clean pan. Whisk in the vanilla seeds and store the cordial in sterilised bottles with a strip of peel and the vanilla pod added (see tips below). To make a refreshing drink, use 1 part cordial to 5 parts iced water.