Elderflower Fritters with Orange Blossom Syrup

These fritters are so light and fragrant, and delicious served with seasonal fruits (I love cherries), a good dollop of yogurt or whipped coconut cream, or simply on their own.

This recipe uses a shortcut I think makes little difference to the final dish, but is a great time-saver: instead of making a sugar syrup from scratch, I've added orange blossom water to some coconut nectar syrup and warmed it up.

The amount of batter here is enough for around 20 heads of elderflower, but how many you want to make depends on how many people you're feeding, and what you're serving the fritters with.

One large head per person is perfect if you're serving them with fruit or ice cream, but if they're being eaten on their own, then about four heads per person will be just right.

SERVES:
04-06

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

For the orange blossom syrup

1 cup coconut nectar, agave or maple syrup

1 tbsp orange blossom water

For the batter

1 cup plain flour

2 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 cups ice-cold soda or sparkling water

500ml light oil, such as sunflower or groundnut

Around 20 heads of elderflower

To serve

Fruit of your choice

Yogurt

Whipped coconut cream or whipped cream cheese and coconut cream

Instructions

Add the coconut nectar and orange blossom water to a small pan, and gently warm through.
Combine the flours, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, and gradually whisk in the soda water. About 1½ cups should be enough – you want the consistency of a thin single cream.
Heat up the oil in a large pan or wok. Test that it's ready by dipping a little bit of the elderflower in the batter, letting the excess drip off, and dropping it into the hot oil. It should bubble vigorously, and crisp up within 2 mins. If it burns or turns dark golden very quickly, the oil is too hot. Likewise, if it doesn't bubble and splatter, it's not hot enough.
When you're happy the oil is ready, line a tray or large plate with kitchen towel or a clean tea towel, ready to drain the elderflower heads.
Depending on their size, fry 1 to 2 heads at a time, by holding the stalk and dipping the head into the batter, then allowing the excess to drip off. Drop the head into the hot oil and leave until lightly golden and crisp.
Carefully remove using a slotted spoon, and place on the towel to drain while you repeat with the rest.
When you're ready to serve, either place all the heads in a big bowl, with a little bowl of the syrup on the side for people to dip into, or on individual plates drizzled with syrup.