Traditional Elderberry Syrup
Excerpted from Herbs for Children's Health, 3rd edition with permission by Storey Publishing, LLC.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh Elderberries You can also use frozen or dried Elderberries, though fresh will always be best. If using dried, use 1 cup.
- 3-4 cups water
- 1 cup honey, Maple syrup, Rice syrup, or Stevia
Instructions
- Place the berries in a saucepan and add just enough of the water to cover by 3 to 4 inches. Simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to about half the original volume.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup, discarding the berries.
- For each 1 cup of liquid, add approximately ½ to 1 cup of honey. In the days before refrigeration, people would add equal parts of honey to liquid because honey was a natural preservative and would keep the syrup from spoiling. But with refrigeration today, you can use less honey and store your syrup in the refrigerator, where it will keep for several weeks or longer, depending on the amount of honey added.