Elderberry liqueur

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 500 g elderberries
• 400 g sugar
• 500 ml water
• 1 vanilla pod(s)
• 1 lemon(s), untreated
• 500 ml brown rum (54%)

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Total time approx. 13 hours

a particularly aromatic liqueur, a beautiful culinary gift

Carefully pluck the elderberries from the branches and discard any unripe ones. Bring to a boil with water and sugar and simmer for about 10 minutes. Occasionally mash the berries with a potato masher. Let cool overnight. The next day, place the juice and berries in a large glass jar and pour over the rum. Finely peel the lemon zest, halve and slit the vanilla pod. Add both to the mixture. Let the liqueur steep for 3 months. Then strain and pour into attractive bottles. Note: When processing elderberries, always ensure that all unripe berries are discarded and the stems are carefully removed. Ripe berries are jet black and shiny. Unripe berries, the umbel stems, and the seeds contain sambunigrin, which can cause nausea and diarrhea. Heating to at least 80 degrees Celsius renders this compound harmless.