A simple summer treat using fresh elderflower homemade cordial. Free of refined sugar and packed full of flavour. These Elderflower Cordial Popsicles with Lemon and Mint are the perfect treat for those hot summer days.
The culinary delights of summer are countless and it can be hard to keep up with all the seasonal arrivals. I’ve been finding elderflowers at our local farmers market, the flower of the elderberry which are the dark purple late summer berries that are used in pies, jams or medicinally. For now, we have access to the beautiful white elderflowers, which are also edible, and offer a more gentle medicinal quality. To keep up with the seasons I wanted to celebrate this beautiful flower with this Elderflower Cordial Popsicles with Lemon and Mint.
“Elderberries are well recognized for their nutritional and medicinal qualities, but the elderflowers also offer some health contributing qualities. They also make an amazing elderflower cordial which can be used for popsicles or added to fizzy drinks.”
Why I Made These Elderflower Cordial Popsicles
The elderberry is well known in the realm of herbal medicine and has some quality research backing up its numerous health claims. The elderflower likely offers some more gentler qualities, and this is an opportunity to use this medicinal plant earlier in the season to take full advantage of everything it can offer.
Health Benefits of Elderberry
Elderberry Extracts and the Flu
Clinical research on elderberry shows that some elderberry extracts may reduce flu-like symptoms. During 1999-2000 a study was done on 60 patients who received 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of elderberry or placebo syrup four times a day for 5 days. Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier in those receiving elderberry extract compared with placebo (1).
Elderberry Echinacea Combinations and The Flu
One preliminary clinical study showed that taking a specific combination of elderberry and Echinacea helped improve the rate of recovery and reduced the rate of influenza-related respiratory complications (2).
Health Benefits of These Elderflower Cordial Popsicles
Elderflower and Digestive Health
It’s not only the berry of the elder tree that has been linked to health benefits. Elderflower tea, when taken daily for 5 days, has been shown to be effective for managing constipation and increasing colonic transit time when combined with anise fruit, fennel fruit and senna flowers (3).
Honey and Seasonal Allergies
It has been speculated that those that suffer from seasonal allergies would benefit from consuming local unpasteurized honey which contains natural pollen. Exposure to small amounts of local pollen prior to hay fever season may help with symptom relief. One study using a very high dose of honey showed benefit after 8 weeks (4).
Elderflower and Seasonal Allergies
The same is said for elderflowers. Some herbalists believe a flower infusion to be beneficial for hay fever symptom relief, but only if started prior to pollen appearing. The combination of these two may be worth a try for anyone that suffers from hay fever.
Notes on This Elderflower Popsicle Recipe
Using Honey For Making The Elderflower Cordial
For this elderflower cordial recipe, I used honey which is always a better alternative to white sugar due to its lower glycemic index and a lesser effect on blood sugar levels. Regular cane sugar can be used in place of honey for a more traditional cordial recipe.
Don’t Have Popsicle Moulds?
I have used silicone ice cube trays to make mini-popsicles. You can choose to use a cut wooden popsicle stick, or go without a stick for a one-mouthful popsicle.
Flower Alternatives to Elderflower
What to enjoy these flower popsicles and don’t have access to elderflower? Try this recipe with fresh lavender, which also goes well with mint, or with rosemary. I have also done it with violets during their short season.
Other Uses for Elderflower
Making Elderflower Honey
Another simple medicine can be made by making elderflower honey. To do this, loosely pack elderflowers into a mason jar and pour over your local unpasteurized honey. If the honey doesn’t pour well let it sit in the sun for a few hours to warm it up. Let the elderflower and honey mixture sit in a warm area for at least a week and then strain.
Making Elderflower Cordial
My favourite way of combining honey and elderflower is making an elderflower cordial. Cordial will stay good in your fridge for months, so feel free to double or triple the recipe and use the additional cordial to add to sparkling water, to make into a syrup for pancakes, or to add to mixed drinks.
What More Popsicle Recipes
For more popsicle recipes try my Zesty Iced Tea Popsicles with Ginger or Breakfast Popsicle with Honey Banana and Oat.
Did you make this Elderflower Cordial Popsicles with Lemon and Mint recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you! Share it on Pinterest and leave a comment below. Take a photo of your recreation on Instagram and tag me @theconsciousdietitian so I can see it!
Elderflower Cordial Popsicle with Lemon and Mint
Ingredients
For The Cordial
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey unpasteurised
- 1/2 heaped cup elderflowers
- 1 organic lemon zested (then 1/2 juiced, and half thinly sliced)
For The Popsicles
- 1 organic lemon
- 12 mint leaves
- 2 cups water
Instructions
For The Cordial
- To prepare the elderflowers, rinse them in water and let them sit out to dry for 10 to 15 minutes to let any little bugs escape.
- Add the water and honey to a small saucepan, and heat until the honey is well incorporated. Don’t let it boil otherwise all the goodness from the honey will be killed off. I like to use a whisk to make sure it is well mixed.
- Remove from heat and once the honey and water mixture has cooled slightly, add the lemon zest, lemon slices from 1/2 the lemon, the juice from the remaining 1/2 lemon, and the elderflowers and stir to combine.
- Put a lid on the mixture and let sit out of the fridge for 12-24 hours; the longer you leave it the more intense the flavour.
- Once the mixture has infused, strain the mixture using a fine mesh strainer and collect the liquid in a bowl. Now you have a cordial that can be used just like any other cordial.
- The remaining lemon slices and flowers can be saved to make into a tea later. I leave mine in a mason jar in the fridge and add it to a tea within the following week.
For The Popsicles
- To make the popsicles, slice ½ a lemon into 6 thin slices, save the other half for the next batch of popsicles. Evenly distribute the lemon slices and 6 mint leaves into the 6 popsicle moulds.
- Mix ½ of the cordial mixture (about 1/2 cup) and 2 cups of water into a bowl. Carefully add this mixture to the popsicle molds being sure to leave at least ¼” on the top of the molds for the stick handle to fit in. Let freeze for at least 4 hours.
- To remove the popsicles from the molds, run under warm water for about 5 seconds and they should easily slide out. Use the remaining cordial, ½ lemon sliced and mint leaves to make 6 more popsicles.
- You may think it is odd to add fresh lemon and mint slices to a popsicle, but I find that when it comes to eating them the mint crisps up nicely and the lemon slices offer a welcomed tangy bite.
Notes
- Violets taste delicious, try combining these with thyme,
- Roses are a beautiful spring and summer flower, try combining these with rosemary.
Don't Have Popsicle molds? Use a silicone ice cube tray, with or without a wooden stick for a handle.
Nutrition
References for Elderflower Cordial
Rachel Dickens, The Conscious Dietitian, is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She graduated with her Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2010 from Griffith University. She strives to provide evidence-based nutrition information with a focus on plant-based nutrition and share some of her favourite seasonal recipes and sustainable eating tips.
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