Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial

Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial is a delicious concentrated syrup made from blackberries, sugar and water. It has a subtle hint of vanilla, barely there, but just enough to soften the tartness of the blackberries. Serve this delicious cordial diluted with still or sparkling water for a refreshing drink.

Why make Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial?

Make this cordial with foraged or cultivated blackberries.  You can use fresh or frozen blackberries and it’s a perfect way to preserve a large crop of these juicy berries. Homemade cordial is easy to make and much less expensive than high-end fruit cordials.

What is cordial?

In the UK a cordial or squash is a non-alcoholic concentrated syrup made from fruit. High juice cordials usually contain at least 45% fruit juice.

What ingredients do I need to make Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial?

You only need four ingredients to make this homemade diluting cordial.

• Blackberries
• Sugar
• Water
• Vanilla pod

Full details of the quantities and method can be found in the recipe card at the end of this article

What are blackberries?

Blackberries are the fruit of a usually prickly bush which is part of the rose family. Each individual blackberry, when ripe, is made up of 20-50 single seeds known as drupelets that are small, juice-filled, and a deep purplish-black when ripe.

I love to forage for blackberries or brambles as we call them in Scotland.  I’m fortunate that our farm has plenty of hedgerows close to the farmhouse, so I don’t have any difficulty gathering blackberries.

How do I know which blackberries to pick?

I have full details of where to forage for blackberries and how to tell which ones to pick in my recipe for Blackberry & Apple Jelly.

What kind of sugar should I use?

I use standard white granulated sugar, the kind you might put in your tea. You could also use caster (superfine baking) sugar. Brown sugar is not suitable as it will give the cordial a different flavour. Don’t use jam sugar that contains pectin, you really don’t want your cordial to set solid in the bottle.

What is vanilla?

Vanilla pods are the seed pods of a specific species of flowering orchids that grow close to the equator. The pods then go through a number of processes before being dried and conditioned. Vanilla acts to temper the rich, tart flavour of the blackberries without overwhelming the character of the berries.

Can I use vanilla extract?

I don’t recommend adding vanilla extract to the cordial. If you don’t have a vanilla pod then leave it out of the recipe and make a simple Blackberry Cordial.

How do I store Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial?

Store the cordial in clean sterilised bottles that are sealed with an airtight cap. Store in a cool place for up to 3 months or in the fridge for up to 6 months. Once the bottle is opened it should always be stored in the fridge.

Can I freeze cordial?

Yes, you can freeze the cordial in a freezer-proof container for up to 12 months. Defrost it in the fridge overnight and use within 3 days after defrosting.

How do I sterilise the bottles?

There are many differennt ways to sterilise bottles and jars. You can put them on a hot wash in the dishwasher or use the chemical sterilising fluid that is used for home wine and beer making. But here is how I like to sterlise my bottles and jars:

• Wash and thoroughly rinse the glass bottles and lids.
• Put the bottles, still wet, upside down or on their sides, onto a baking tray.
• Put the tray with the glass in the oven at 120C just before you start to make the cordial.
• The water creates steam which helps to sterilise the jars.
• Take them out of the oven and fill them with the warm cordial, then seal them with the lids.

What kind of bottles can I use?

I use glass bottles that have a clip-on top with a rubber seal. I take the metal frame and stopper off and sterilse those in a jug with boiling water while the bottles sterilise in the oven, as described above.

If I don’t have a clip-top bottle, then recycle glass cordial bottles you have bought with cordial in them from manufacturers such as Belvoir or Bottle Green. Wash them thoroughly and sterilise as above.

Vegetarian

This cordial recipe is suitable for vegetarians.

Gluten Free

This recipe is naturally gluten free.

How much cordial does the recipe make?

This recipe makes 1 litre (1 3/4 pints) of cordial. It makes approximately 20 servings cordial depending on how much you dilute it. Everyone has different preferences as to the strength of cordial they enjoy, so the servings can only be approximate.

How do I serve Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial?

There are many ways to serve Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial:

• Dilute to tastes with still or sparkling cold water.
• Use the cordial to make a sweet and warming hot drink by adding hot water from the kettle.
• Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial is also a lovely addition to cocktails. Mix with sparkling wine to create a cocktail similar to Kir Royale.
• Pour some cordial over Vanilla ice cream for a simple dessert.
• Add some Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial to flavour buttercream for cupcakes. Or directly to icing sugar for a blackberry drizzle glaze.

More Cordial Recipes

Sloe Cordial

A simple recipe for a non-alcoholic cordial made with hedgerow sloes.

Check out this recipe

RHUBARB AND GINGER CORDIAL

Rhubarb and Ginger Cordial is a concentrated syrup with a delicious rhubarb and ginger flavour. It’s easy to make and even easier to drink diluted with whatever takes your fancy.

Check out this recipe

Honeysuckle and Meadowsweet Spritzer

A delicious floral simple syrup made with summer hedgerow foraged honeysuckle and meadowsweet flowers.

Check out this recipe

More Blackberry Preserves recipes

1. Spiced Blackberry Jam is a delicious combination of sweet blackberries and warming spices. Make it with whole berries or make it seedless and smooth whatever your preference.
2. Blackberry & Apple Jelly is a classic and delicious jelly that is the perfect way to preserve the flavours of autumn (fall). I will take you step-by-step through the process of making jelly with this simple recipe.
3. Low Sugar Blackberry & Apple Jam has all the flavour of Blackberry & Apple Jam with two-thirds less sugar than traditional jams and jellies.  It’s easy to make in a small batch and perfect to spread on bread, toast and scones. 

PIN FOR LATER

Blackberry and Vanilla Cordial

Janice Pattie

A rich and delicious cordial made from blackberries and vanilla, a great combination of sweet and sharp flavours, very refreshing. 

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe BookmarkSaved!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Straining time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Drinks

Cuisine British

Servings 20 servings

Calories 118 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 kg blackberries
• 1.5 l cold water
• 500 grams sugar
• 1 vanilla pod

Instructions

 

• 1 kg blackberries, 1.5 l cold water
  Rinse the blackberries in a colander, then place in a large pan (I use my pressure cooker, without the lid) with the water.
  
• Add the water
  
• Bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes.
  
• Use a jelly bag, muslin or a clean tea towel and strain the fruit over a clean bowl.
  
• Hang the jelly bag and let the juice drip into the bowl.  Do not squeeze the bag as it will make the cordial cloudy.
  
• While the juice is straining, sterilise your bottles.  Either rinse thoroughly in cold water then place in a low oven for 30 minutes, or use a proprietary sterilising solution and follow the instructions.
• 500 grams sugar, 1 vanilla pod
  Return the juice to the cleaned pan and add the sugar and the vanilla pod, unopened as you don't want the seeds in the cordial.
  
• Heat gently stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil. Skim off any froth on the top and simmer vigorously for 10 minutes.
  
• Remove the vanilla pod, rinse and dry for future use if liked.
  
• Pour the cordial into sterilised bottles.
  
• Serve diluted with cold water, hot water or sparkling wine!
  

Notes

The recipe make 1 litre of cordial and will keep unopened for up to three months.

Nutrition

Serving: 50mlCalories: 118kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 1gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 82mgFiber: 3gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 107IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 0.3mg

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