Mmmm, can't get enough of these beauties. These are elderflower fritters and are delicious! All you need to do is make a simple pancake batter, dip the elderflower heads in and fry in oil - over a bonfire is even better. Voila! A crunchy, sweet, divine snack even the gods couldn't resist.
You will need:
Oil for cooking.
100g (2/3 cup) flour
1 egg
100mls milk or milk alternative
100mls fizzy water
1-3 tablespoons sugar (optional)
15-20 elderflower heads (depending on size)
When collecting elders, collect on a dry sunny day and collect the most fragrant blooms as these will suggest the tastiest final snack. Only collect a few from each tree, leaving the rest for wildlife and others.
Put a frying pan with a little oil on to heat over a medium high heat. Mix the egg into the flour and sugar, stir in the milk and then the fizzy water. So not over mix, the batter will be a little lumpy and the consistency of slightly thicker than single cream. If not, add a little more milk, water or flour.
Holding the green stalks, dip the flower heads in the batter and gently shake off any excess. There should be enough batter that when placed in the pan, it forms a fritter around the flower heads, but not so much it drips off and makes a flat pancake all the way around it. This may take practice, patience is needed, they'll taste awesome however they turn out!
As you dip each one, add it to the sizzling saucepan (to test if ready, a drop of batter should sizzle and brown in around 5 seconds). Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden on the bottom.
Place finished fritters on a kitchen paper-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Eat immediately (as if you could even leave them for later if you tried!). Hold the big green stalk to eat, but just eat the battered flowers, discard the rest because it is bitter.
Enjoy!