This Apple and Elderflower Smoothie offers an early summer twist on a refreshing and healthy classic. Get out foraging and make the most of this delightful flower whilst you still can!
The sun is shining here in Cornwall, however briefly, so to celebrate I grabbed my basket and headed out to my favourite elder tree to pick a handful of blooms.
I didn’t fancy baking a cake this time, craving something light and refreshing instead. One glance at the fruit bowl and I settled on a smoothie pairing the flowers with crisp green apples and bananas to give it a yummy creamy base.
Foraging Elderflowers
Sweetly scented elderflowers are best picked on a dry, warm and windless day. Not always possible in our climate I admit, but if you pass a tree heavy with blooms surrounded by the perfect weather conditions it’s always worth picking what you can use. As the unpicked heads of little white flowers mature over the summer months into elderberries, only ever pick what you can use in the same day. Even if you or your neighbours don’t put those elderberries to good use, the wild birds certainly will.
Gently shake and nudge any bugs and wildlife out from between the tiny little flowers. Next remove the flowers from the stems. This is fiddly work but it’s worth noting that whilst the flowers and the berries of the elder tree are edible, the leaves and stems are poisonous*. Different sources give different information on the levels of toxicity and how dangerous it is so as always I would advise erring on the side of caution and avoiding it.
Apple and Elderflower Smoothie
Blitz all of the ingredients for your apple and elderflower smoothie in a blender (I used my trusty high powered Thermocook. You’ll end up with a thick, creamy smoothie with all the scent and flavour of a warm summers day. Just delicious!
- 1 green apple
- 1 banana ripe
- 1 elderflower head
- Cold water or your favourite milk
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Chop up the apple and banana and add to your high power blender or smoothie maker. Pick the tiny elder blossoms off the stem and add them to the blender too.
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Blend for a few moments until thick but smooth, then add enough cold water or milk to make the smoothie the consistency you like. Give a final whizz before pouring into glasses or a bowl.
* Source: Sambucus Nigra If you’re at all interested in foraging I recommend you bookmark the Plants for a Future website which holds a massive database of edible and medicinal plants that we refer to often in identifying and learning about the wild plants all around us.
This post contains affiliate links to the Thermocook. If you use this link and buy your own machine it won’t cost you a penny more, but helps support the work that I do here. So thank you :)
Janie x
Garlic + Zest says
27 June 2016 at 2:04 pmThis sounds like a great smoothie, but I have no idea where to find elderflower in South Florida – what would you recommend as a substitute?
Jane Sarchet says
27 June 2016 at 2:31 pmSure Garlic + Zest! Hop on a plane and fly over to the UK.
I’ll pick you up from the airport and take you on a foraging adventure! :D
Janie x
PS in more sensible news, jasmine flowers spring to mind but their scent can be really rather sickly en masse so not sure. Definitely come to the UK ;)
homemadezagat says
27 June 2016 at 2:09 pmI so need to try elderflower. So great that you have free access to it! This smoothie sounds tasty
Jane Sarchet says
27 June 2016 at 2:23 pmThanks so much for your kind comment :)
Janie x
efwalt says
27 June 2016 at 2:14 pmI love the idea of using elderflowers in smoothies :D why have I never thought of this?! Now I know what I’m looking for I keep seeing elderflowers everywhere. Will definitely make this next :)
Jane Sarchet says
27 June 2016 at 2:24 pmPerfect! I do hope you enjoy it Emma :)
Janie x
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
27 June 2016 at 2:23 pmThis sounds amazing! I love the flavour of elderflower but have never foraged for it myself. Something I’d love to try but I feel sure I’d pick the wrong thing! ;)
Jane Sarchet says
27 June 2016 at 2:25 pmIt’s nigh on impossible to get wrong Becca. I’ll get you some pics of what to look out for and you’ll start seeing them everywhere!
Janie x
Azlin Bloor says
27 June 2016 at 2:32 pmSun’s shining over in my part of Dorset today, for a change! I love the sound of this smoothie. I’ve never used elderflowers before, thanks for the tip, just off to find me an elderflower tree now!
Jane Sarchet says
27 June 2016 at 2:33 pmHappy foraging Azlin :)
Janie x
laughingspatula says
27 June 2016 at 3:33 pmA beautiful smoothie but no idea where to get an elderflower! Maybe the public market downtown?
Jane Sarchet says
1 July 2016 at 7:11 amPerhaps try googling if Elder trees grow in your climate Laughing spatula? Good luck :)
Janie x
holacroqueta says
27 June 2016 at 4:32 pmThis looks delicious! Will pin it for later!
Jane Sarchet says
1 July 2016 at 7:10 amThank you so much :)
Janie x
choclette says
27 June 2016 at 5:14 pmLove, love, love this idea Janie. Just gutted now that as a keen forager I never thought of it myself.
Kate Veggie Desserts (@veggie_desserts) says
27 June 2016 at 7:49 pmThis sounds so good! I have two big elderflower trees, but I haven’t gotten around to making cordial yet so I can try this tomorrow (weather permitting) as it’s so much easier. Love this!
Jane Sarchet says
28 June 2016 at 7:11 pmCool! Hope you love it too Kate :)
Janie x
Foodie Quine (@foodiequine) says
27 June 2016 at 11:40 pmI was out for a run in the sunshine yesterday and there was a heavenly scent of Elderflowers in the air. Would never of thought of using them in a smoothie. I’m such a lush that I normally use mine in Elderflower ‘Champagne’.
Jane Sarchet says
28 June 2016 at 7:10 pmHahaha, that made me chuckle FoodieQ :D
Janie x
greensofthestoneage says
12 July 2016 at 9:23 amI love foraging elderflower – and this recipe is just such an amazingly simple yet tasty way to use them! I’ve definitely got to try this out :)
Jane Sarchet says
13 July 2016 at 7:15 amSuperb! I do hope you enjoy it :)
Janie x
Ceri @Natural Kitchen Adventures says
20 July 2016 at 9:17 amI can imagine this tastes wonderful. Literally no idea where to forage for elderflower in London so looks like I missed out again this year. Will be more organised next year!! Yum!
Jane Sarchet says
20 July 2016 at 10:34 amPerhaps you need to plan a trip to the south west next spring/early summer Ceri ;)
Janie x