Ginger is an ingredient I often turn to when I am feeling under the weather. It warms me up when I am feeling cold and it clears and soothes my throat when the winter viruses come a calling. It is also an ingredient that can liven up a soft drink and there is often nothing more refreshing than a glass of ice cold ginger beer! Here I will show you how to make ginger cordial.
I always like to have a few bottles of interesting cordials to hand for those who don’t wish to take part in this mega marathon of eating and drinking that goes along with the festive season.
Even though we had the most prolific amount of elderflowers in our garden this year, I managed to not get around to making elderflower cordial (I blame the new allotment). I have decided to compensate by putting together this very easy ginger cordial which will be doing the rounds at all of our friends and neighbours drinks parties and gathering this year.
This ginger cordial works well with sparkling water, fresh mint and a slice of lime. It is also very good added to a hot honey and lemon drink to help ward off the winter bugs. I am pretty sure it would be a welcome addition to a hot mulled cider too, which seems to be the drink of the moment right now!
I have decided to bottle up some of this delicious spiced syrup and will be giving it out as a gift to my fellow ginger loving friends, of which I have many!
Ginger cordial
A refreshing ginger infused cordial which can be added to soft drinks as well as cocktails.
Ingredients
- 1 unwaxed lemon rind only
- 50 ml fresh lemon juice
- 150 g golden caster sugar
- 240 ml water
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 100 g fresh ginger peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Peel the rind off the unwaxed lemon making sure you remove any of the white pith and put in a heavy based saucepan
- Add the water, ginger, cream of tartar
- Bring to the boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved
- Take off the heat and add the lemon juice
- Bring back to the boil then strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin (I used a J cloth) into a bowl and set aside to cool
- When cool, pour into a sterilised bottle jar
- Keep refrigerated and use within 2 weeks
Oh I love the look of this. I am a big ginger fan and when I’m off work week after next I’m going to have a go at this.
Hope you enjoy your time off work and manage to try out lots of new recipes, this cordial is so easy & quick to put together! Thanks for your comment Janice x
I love ginger and making something like this is on my (v long) to-do list. But perhaps if I cross my fingers I’ll win it at the swap on Friday!
Hi Gail,
I agree with you the to-do list just keeps getting bigger! I love ginger too and this cordial is really quick to put together. Look forward to meeting you on Friday x
growing up in a chinese household, ginger was in almost everything! mainly savoury dishes though, but we also had relaly simple desserts of mochi balls in a sweet ginger syrup. this sweet ginger cordial kind of reminds me of that! I want to give this a try, because I actually do have everything at home now! thanks for sharing x
I have to tell you that I a crazy mad for Chinese & Asian food in general, absolutely love it. I am always interested in hearing people’s food memories and the mochi balls sound wonderful! The syrup is easy, but add loads of ginger…..going to update the recipe now as it tasted far better with a massive chunk of ginger added to it!!
Your ginger cordial sounds delicious and should help to fend off those winter bugs too. I was cross with myself as I missed making both elderflower cordial and elderberry rob this year – always too much to do!!!!!!
Yes I still feel guilty now about seeing those elderflowers going to waste! This ginger cordial makes up for it x
Oh tis looks like something I will definitely be making !!
Thanks Vanessa!. Am still deliberating whether to bring it tomorrow or not…..??!
Thanks Vanessa!. Am still deliberating whether to bring it tomorrow or not…..??!
Amazing idea, it sounds so versatile too! I dont know why but I’ve always avoided cordials as I thought they would be too tricky to make!
I know what you mean. I am the same, but have been converted. This took about 10 minutes in total!!
I love ginger and definitely want to have a go at making this. One of my favourite cocktails ever is a Moscow Mule and can imagine this would make it much more delicious than anything shop bought. Love the pretty little glass bottles too – gorgeous 🙂
Thanks! I am wondering who won it at the gift swap as I haven’t heard yet. I tried some yesterday with soda water, very refreshing. But in a cocktail would be so much better 🙂 x
My daughter had to design a ginger product for school, then try making it during the holidays. Mathis was a great recipe for an 8 year old to make. We are waiting for it to cool. Then it is going off to school tomorrow!
Hi Tracey, what a great idea! Hope she had lots of fun making it as well as tasting it 🙂
Hi Laura.
Firstly, thanks for sharing this great recipe. I love ginger and enjoy making ginger-beer, the way momy use to make it:) I have experimented with both forms ie Groung and Root ginger. I find that you get alot of aroma and taste with the ground ginger. One negative, alot of muslin and straining to get most of the remants out. We get there in the end. I would like to know, if i can use ground ginger instead?
Hello there – I’ve made ginger cordial before but without cream of tartar – what does it do to the cordial? thanks, M
Hi Meera,
They are necessary to preserve the cordial x
Hi. How much ginger do I need? The amountis missing from the recipe ingredients. Thanks!
Hi Anne,
I am so sorry! It is 100g of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced.
Best wishes,
Laura