Sitting on my bookshelf is my Great Grandmothers book – the News Chronicles 1936 (ish) publication Everything within, a guide to being a housewife and raising kids. It is AMAZING and I was honoured when my grandmother handed it to me as it was always my favourite thing to do when I visited her flick through those yellow pages that Sophia Hamer my grandfather’s mother had sent for and purchased before the second world war and long after my grandfather was a boy as he was born during the first world war. Included in the book is a section of traditional family recipes for everything from main meals to sweets and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) one of my favourites from the book is Lemon Cordial and with this week’s key ingredient for the cooking with kids A to Z being Lemons it’s time to bring out the book and make some bottles of our favourite cordial.

What You'll Find on This Page

Ingredients for your Lemon Cordial Recipe

7 – 10 unwaxed good sized lemons
1lb 7oz of granulated sugar

18fl oz water

Even more Lemon Flavoured Recipes that you should try.

Making Lemon Cordial

Prepare two glass bottles prior to making the cordial by either putting them in a dishwasher on a short cycle and use immediately or sterilise in the oven for 15 mins on a low heat (if they have a rubber seal remember to remove it before putting in the oven as it will melt!)

To make the lemon’s juicy roll them backwards and forwards on a surface so that you can get the juice released from the parts and make it easier to get more juice out of the lemons. Alternatively (but I prefer not to do this with the kids) place the lemons in a pan of boiling water for around 10 minutes and it will burst the cells of the lemon letting the juice out as well).

Zest 4 of the lemons and then juice all of them.

Into a large heavy bottomed pan add the zest of the lemons, 18fl oz of water and the sugar and heat gently until the sugar dissolves and then bring to the boil.

Add in 18fl oz of lemon juice and bring to just below boiling point and then quickly pour through a strainer and into a jug.

Pour into the bottle and seal – once cooled place in the fridge and then serve when you want a refreshing drink – it’s around 1 to 4 parts but I like it a little weaker so use less of the cordial to more water.