Elderflowers are said to offer numerous health benefits; for example, they are known to promote diuresis and the elimination of excess fluids by counteracting water retention – properties that make them particularly appealing as summer approaches. The infusion made from them has a sweet and delicate flavour, with slightly tart notes that make it very pleasant even on its own, but if you want to add an extra touch of flavour, there are several combinations you can experiment with.

What to pair with elderflowers in a cold infusion

One of the most popular combinations is undoubtedly with citrus fruits, particularly lemon and lime. Be careful not to overdo it, though: as mentioned, the flavour of elderflowers is very delicate, and adding too much lime or lemon risks overpowering it. Another particularly good combination, especially on warmer days, is with mint leaves – either fresh or dried for infusion. You’ll end up with an infusion that’s sweet but not overly so, aromatic and thirst-quenching, leaving a pleasant aftertaste on your palate with every sip. We also recommend trying a cold infusion made from elderflowers and dried rosebuds. Compared to the previous ones, this ‘iced tea’ has a much more delicate flavour, but we’re quite sure its aroma will win you over.

How to use fresh elderflowers in infusions

So far, we’ve focused mainly on using dried flowers, but elderflower clusters can also be used to make infusions when freshly picked. Cold-brewing times will obviously be longer; it will take at least 48 hours for their essence to infuse properly into the water. You can also use fresh elderflowers to make a homemade syrup – excellent during the summer – which you can add to the combinations we’ve suggested to enhance the flavour of your drinks. Did you know it’s one of the ingredients in the Hugo Spritz recipe? To make it, you’ll need 1 litre of water, 3 lemons, about 1 kg of sugar, 15–20 flowers and a glass of apple cider vinegar. You’ll need to dissolve the sugar by bringing the water and vinegar to the boil. Remove the sugar syrup from the heat and add the flowers and the lemons, cut into wedges, which should be left to infuse for at least 3 days (2 if the temperatures are particularly high). Once the infusion time is up, strain your syrup for three minutes and leave it to cool before pouring it into sterilised glass bottles.