Elderberry syrup (Holermulli)

Serves 6

1 kg elderberries
1 kg sugar
3 tbsp water
1 pc lemon, juice and zest

Wash the elderberries and dry them with kitchen roll. Separate the elderberries from the stems with a fork and sort them out.
Important: The berries are only ripe when they are completely black. Do not use green or reddish berries.

Bring the berries to the boil in a large saucepan with a dash of water, the grated lemon zest and the juice and boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. As soon as the elderberries release their juice, remove the saucepan from the heat and mash with a masher.
Pass the elderberry pulp through a blender or a fine sieve. Mix the juice and pulp with the sugar and boil for 5 minutes. Measure the juice and put it in a pot with the same amount of sugar.
In other words, if you have 750 millilitres of juice, you need 750 grams of sugar to boil it down to elderberry syrup.
Pour the syrup while it is still hot into glass bottles and seal them. Store the bottles in a cool, dark place and your elderberry syrup will keep for several months.

Tip: Drink hot or cold , tastes delicious with the traditional "muas" and with dessert.


Did you know? Elderberries have a diuretic effect and thus ensure that pathogens are flushed out of the body more quickly.
This is why elderberry juice is also good for bladder and kidney problems.
The berries are ripe when they are deep black, you can pick them from September to November.

Caution: the berries must never be eaten raw! Eating them can lead to nausea and vomiting.