Elderflowers in batter

Elderberry trees are prolific here and the berries start appearing mid summer so might as well take advantage and make some tasty elderflower products to eat straight away as a snack or treat.

• elderflowers
• washing basin
• cold water
• sugar
• flour
• rice milk or any other milk you would like to use
• egg (optional)
• cinnamon
• frying oil
• saucepan
• ladle

1. Wash the elderflowers in cold water
2. Make the batter out of flour, milk, sugar, cinnamon and egg - the consistency of the batter should be thick enough to cover the flowers when you dip them in and stay on to it, if the mixture is too thick you will have problems dipping in the flowers in that case add a little more milk until you reach the desired effect. If the mixture is too runny it wont stay on the flower then thicken with more flower. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste. The egg will help the mixture hold better together but this is optional and it will work also without the egg.
3. Put cooking oil in a saucepan and put on the fire until hot, you can test this by dropping a little batter in the oil to see how quickly it cooks
4. Dip the flowers in the batter and put in the frying oil immediately after, you will need to do this one flower at a time and keep watching them as they quick very quickly. The colour should be golden brown.
5. Put on a paper kitchen towel to drain from the oil and serve with a little sugar on top to taste.

Be careful not to burn yourself with hot oil, lower the flowers in gently using a ladle.