I like making syrups because once you do the prep work you have a herbal mixture that you can take everyday for weeks. Syrups are a great preparation for kids. Actually the same holds true for adults. I use honey as the preservative and its easy to take your herbs encased in honey!
Syrups are decoctions in which the herbal liquid has been reduced in half and a form of preservative has been added. Honey, maple syrup, and sugar are the most common preservatives used in making syrups. In the past the ratio of sweetener to herbal mixture was 1:1 which preserved the mixture without refrigeration.
This is my favorite recipe for Elderberries. It is simple. (Of course you can just make a decoction and enjoy the elderberry tea in that way. You don’t have to make a syrup at all.)
I used my frozen berries as opposed to my dry berries this time as I had harvested a lot of elderberries in the Fall and I got tired of drying them so I froze them. Check out my previous post on harvesting Elderberries.
Make a decoction which means placing the elderberries or herbs in a pan, adding water, bringing the water to a boil and then simmering for 20 minutes. Decoction preparations are used for dense plant material such as roots, seeds and berries.
Using frozen berries as opposed to dried berries means using using much more berries than the dried berries. I tripled the amount. I used 6 tablespoons as opposed to 2 tablespoon of dried berries for 2 cups of water.
At this point you can just drink the decoction.
The reduction process will seem to go slow in the beginning, but if you leave the kitchen and not pay attention the liquid will evaporate away and you will be left with a burned pan. I set a timer and keep checking the level by pouring the liquid in a heat proof measuring cup to see if the liquid has been reduced in half.
Add the sweetener. The traditional ratio for syrup making is 1 part sweetener to 1 part herbal mixture. That is way too sweet for me. I use less sweetener with my elderberry syrup, I add 1/2 cup of honey to 1 cup of herbal mixture. The ratio is 1 part sweetener to 2 parts herbal mixture. I then make sure I refrigerator the syrup. It will last for months.
I take 1 Tablespoon of the syrup per day during the winter season. Elderberry is called a immunostimulant which means it helps the immune system do its job of maintaining our health and it works as a preventative of colds and the flu.
