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Easy 3-Ingredient Elderberry Syrup for Immune Support

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A simple, homemade elderberry syrup made with dried elderberries, raw honey, and fresh ginger. This immune-supporting syrup is quick to prepare and perfect for cold and flu season.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup dried organic elderberries
  • 3 cups filtered water
  • 1 cup raw honey (preferably local)
  • 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
  • Optional: 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

Instructions

  1. Combine the berries, water, and optional spices in your saucepan. Add the 1 cup of dried elderberries, 3 cups of filtered water, and your thinly sliced ginger (plus cinnamon stick and cloves if using). Give everything a gentle stir.
  2. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Watch it carefully. You want to see small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling, violent boil. Once it reaches this point, immediately reduce the heat to low.
  3. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Set a timer and let it do its thing. The liquid will reduce slightly and become more concentrated. Check on it every 10 minutes to make sure it’s still at a gentle simmer, not a boil.
  4. Test for doneness. After 30 minutes, take a peek. The berries should look plump and slightly wrinkled, and the liquid should have reduced by about a third. You can test the strength by dipping a spoon in and tasting it. If you want a stronger syrup, let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
  5. Strain the mixture. Place your fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth-lined strainer over your glass measuring cup or bowl. Carefully pour the hot liquid through the strainer. Using the back of a wooden spoon or a spatula, gently press down on the berries and ginger to extract as much liquid as possible.
  6. Let the liquid cool slightly. Let the strained liquid sit for about 10-15 minutes. It should be warm but not hot to the touch.
  7. Stir in the honey. Add your 1 cup of raw honey to the warm elderberry liquid. Stir gently but thoroughly until the honey is completely dissolved.
  8. Pour into sterilized jars. Using your funnel, pour the syrup into your prepared glass jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace at the top. Wipe the rims clean with a damp paper towel, then screw on the lids tightly.
  9. Label and refrigerate. Write the date on a piece of masking tape and stick it on the jar. This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Notes

Don’t skip the ginger. Watch your heat like a hawk. Strain while it’s hot. Use a potato masher for better extraction. Double the batch for efficiency. Don’t toss the spent berries.

Nutrition

Keywords: elderberry syrup, immune support, homemade syrup, elderberry recipe, cold and flu remedy, natural remedy

Find it online: https://bakebelle.com/easy-3-ingredient-elderberry-syrup-for-immune-support/