Black Beauty Elderberry Elixir

This Black Beauty Elderberry Elixir is not only easy to make but the aroma filling the air as it steeps and simmers is divine.

A step up from The Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe (check out the amazing benefits of elderberry at the link) this adds another layer of protection with spices to keep away winter-ills.

Star anise – antiviral properties, key ingredient in flu-fighting drug Tamiflu

Cinnamon – warming and antimicrobial

Cloves – warming and antimicrobial

Fresh ginger – warming and anti-inflammatory

Recipe

• 1.5 cups of fresh elderberries
• 1.5 cups of Billington’s molasses sugar
• 6 cloves
• 4 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 30g ginger (or large thumb size) peeled and sliced

Add all the ingredients with 1 cup of water (you can leave out the water if you would prefer a thick syrup) to a saucepan.

Bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on for half an hour, allowing all the spices to infuse.

Push through a fine sieve and decant to sterilised jars.

Take one teaspoon a day as a preventative measure and more if necessary.