• 1 cup dried elderberries (or 2 cups of fresh)

• 1 litre water

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Optional Ingredients to taste

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced

• 1 inch piece fresh turmeric, sliced

• 3-4 whole cloves

• 1 star anise pod 

• 6 peppercorns

• 4 cardamon pods

• 6 allspice

• 1 cup raw honey or to taste

• Add the elderberries, water and your choice of spices to a saucepan.

• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and barely simmer for 30-45 minutes. The liquid may reduce by half.

• Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing the berries to extract all the liquid.

• Once the mixture cools to lukewarm, stir in the raw honey until well combined.

• Pour the syrup into a sterilized glass jar/bottle and store in the fridge for up to 2 months.

• Double or triple the recipe.  Keep in the fridge for daily dose.

• Gift to friends as a thoughtful pressie.

• I recommend 'burping' your bottles if you have not opened them in a few days.  This is a natural elixir and healthy fizz may develop.

• Sterilise your bottles easily by washing in soapy water, rinse thoroughly and place in the oven at 135oC for 10 minutes.

• Remove any plastic or rubber seals from bottles or jars before placing in oven or your seal will be ruined.

• I love to blend my syrup with the spices before straining.  This gives a magnificent burst of winter spices with every sip.

• Use a stick blender for ease of mixing honey into cooled liquid.