This article is also available in Deutsch.
Elderflower fritters - gebackene Holunderblüten in German, an Austrian delicacy often served as a dessert, is a must-try!
This easy recipe, prepared in the air fryer rather than in the pan with oil, is fried quickly and easily and requires only a handful of ingredients!
Since you do not add any sugar to the dough, the rich aroma of the elderflowers can unfold. An absolute taste experience!
Just sprinkle a little powdered sugar before serving on these little delicacies. That is enough to sweeten.
Those fried elderflowers are crispy and captivate with their fantastic elderflower aroma! An absolute indulgence!
Since the elderflower blossoms, in our case, are not baked out in oil, they are much healthier and better to digest.
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🥘 Ingredients
- Fresh elderflower bunches - with stem for easier handling. Don't use dried elderflowers for this recipe!
- Egg
- Milk
- Pastry flour
- Salt
- Powdered sugar - for final dusting before serving
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1
The first step is to prepare a light pancake batter in which you will dip the elderflower heads before frying them.
To do this, take a mixing bowl or the mixing bowl of your food processor, and add the milk, the egg, and a pinch of salt. Whisk the ingredients together, and then stir in the flour.
Now the batter is ready. Don't be put off; this dough is very thin. This thin consistency is intentional to get a light and crispy result!
Step 2
Before you cover the elderflowers with the dough, shake them out to remove any insects, if needed. Please do not wash them, as the rich flavor is in the pollen.
Take the first bunch of elderflowers and pull it through the batter, so it is well coated with dough. The easiest way is to hold the bunch by the stem.
Now place the dough-covered bunches on a surface suitable for the air fryer. Since I have a small air fryer, I am using the bottom plate from a mini spring form for this. These fit nicely in a small air fryer.
Place the mold in the air fryer basket, close the oven and bake the elderflower bunches at 175 °C // 347 °F for three minutes.
Step 3
Once the baking time is over, open the air fryer, and take out the baked elderflower. The easiest way to do this is to use kitchen tweezers. That way, you won't burn your fingers.
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you can bake several elderflowers at once.
Just make sure you place them next to each other. Otherwise, they will stick together.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving!
Enjoy!
🥜 Substitutions
If you don't have an air fryer at home, you can make the elderflower fritters in a frying pan.
In this case, use a deep-frying pan, fill it with oil up to the width of a finger and fry the elderflowers until golden brown.
The pan-frying version is the authentic way of making them.
🍽 Equipment
- Kitchen machine or hand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Air Fryer
- Container for the air fryer - in which to place the elderflowers
- Kitchen tweezers - to lift out the baked elderflowers
🌡 Storage
The finished fried elderflowers should be consumed immediately after preparation. You cannot freeze them or store them in the refrigerator.
You can store the freshly picked elderflower bunches in the refrigerator for one to two days tops before using them.
Nevertheless, I recommend using them as soon as possible after harvesting to get the full taste experience.
💭 Top tip
The baking time varies a lot depending on the model and how many elderflowers you want to fry simultaneously.
In the pan, you can see the browning process and know when they are ready. The first time you make baked elderflowers in the Air Fryer, we recommend starting with two minutes of baking time.
If they don't get golden brown after two minutes, bake them for an additional minute, and so on, until golden brown and crispy.
This process may be a little tricky on the first attempt. But it is well worth it! I can promise you that!
🙋🏻 FAQ
Elderflowers show their pretty and fragrant blossoms between about May and July. Enjoy preparing this delicious treat during this time.
But, if you fancy elderberries, you must wait until late summer. Elderberries are ready for harvest around August or September, depending on weather conditions. They then have a blue-black or deep red color. Harvest only umbels on which all fruits are entirely colored. To do this, cut off the entire umbel and remove unripe and spoiled berries.
Elderflowers may be found in a variety of locations—from parks to the roadside—but they aren't commonly sold in stores or markets, although they can be purchased online. Many people will set out to gather the flower heads once they learn where elderberry plants flourish and have bloomed flowers that are ready to pick. There are other white flowers that may appear similar, so make sure you know what you are looking for: a very large bush with clusters of white flowers and not small white flowers that grow directly out of the ground.
Source: thespruceeats.com
Yes, you can! And we highly recommend it!
Elderberry is a very frugal plant, which you can easily grow in the garden or even on the balcony in a flower pot. Thus, you have this excellent plant with its wonderful scent always at hand and can also process the berries then! Try it out!
In the following articles, you will find instructions for growing, which varieties to use, and much more!
How to grow elderberries?
Growing elderberries in pots and containers
How to grow elderberries in containers?
Yes, they are! Check out those elderflower health benefits: Helping sinuses, healthy blood supply, used for fever, anti-inflammatory, and used topically for skin health!
Source: wilddispensary.co.nz
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Elderflower Fritters
Equipment
- Kitchen machine or hand mixer
- Container for the air fryer in which to place the elderflowers
- Kitchen tweezers to lift out the baked elderflowers
Ingredients
- 16 Fresh elderflower bunches with stem for easier handling. Don't use dried elderflowers for this recipe!
- 1 Egg
- 250 ml Milk
- 100 g Pastry flour
- Pinch of Salt
- powdered sugar for final dusting before serving
Instructions
- First, we prepare a light pancake batter. Take a mixing bowl or the mixing bowl of your food processor, and add the milk, the egg, and a pinch of salt.1 Egg, 250 ml Milk, Pinch of Salt
- Whisk the ingredients together, and then stir in the flour.1 Egg, 250 ml Milk, 100 g Pastry flour, Pinch of Salt
- Before you cover the elderflowers with the dough, shake them out to remove any insects if needed. Please do not wash them, as the rich flavor is in the pollen.16 Fresh elderflower bunches
- Take the first bunch of elderflowers and pull it through the batter so it is well coated with dough. The easiest way is to hold the bunch by the stem.16 Fresh elderflower bunches
- Place the dough-covered bunches on a mold suitable for the air fryer.
- Place the mold in the air fryer basket, close the oven and bake the elderflower bunches at 175 °C // 347 °F for three minutes.
- Once the baking time is over, open the air fryer, and take out the baked elderflower using kitchen tweezers.
- Repeat this process until all the elderflowers are baked.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving!powdered sugar
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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⛑ Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Jerika
Wow! Can't wait to try these Elderflower fritters.:) It's awesome that it's not cooked in oil that's why it's healthier and better to digest, which I love. Thanks!:)
Nora
Thank you, Jerika! Let me know how they turned out!
Natalie
Well, this is the first time I had elderflower fritters, and I must say me and the kids were delighted, thank you!
Nora
That's awesome to hear, Natalie! I am happy you enjoyed it!
Kayla DiMaggio
These air fried elderflower fritters were so fun to make and turned out delicious! I love elderflower and am always looking for more ways to incorporate it!
Nora
That is wonderful to hear, Kayla! Thank you!
Molly Pisula
Such an interesting recipe! I have never even heard of these before, but they look delicious.
Nora
Thank you, Molly! I'm always happy to write about traditional recipes and uncommon ingredients!
Nancy
Wow elderflower in fritters is a lovely combo. So fragrant and tasty. Thanks for introducing to this recipe
Nora
Thank you, Nancy! My pleasure!
Mary O’Brien
These look divine. I will start the hunt for elderberry flowers. Beautiful!
Nora
Thank you, Mary! I'm glad if this recipe has whetted your appetite!
Oscar
These look like the zucchini flower fritters my mom used to make, I loved them. Going to try this recipe with the elderflowers, so excited. Thanks for the recipe.
Sara Jelinek
I've never heard of fritters like this, but I would love to try them! Are the flower stems delicate on elderflowers?
Nora
Hey Sara! You don't have to worry about breaking them off as you pull them through the dough. The elderflower stems can withstand quite a bit. Please let me know how they turned out for you! 🙂
Freya
These had such a delicate lovely flavour, so yummy!
Natalie
Made your elderflower fritters for my daughters' friend sleepover. Her mom called me and asked me for your recipe, kids really loved it, thanks!
Nora
That's awesome! I am so happy you enjoyed them!
Gloria
What a great idea. I have never worked with elderflowers before. I do have lilacs, I wonder if these will work too? What a great idea for an afternoon with the girls on the patio.
Jan
I am intrigued, I always drink my elderflowers, never thought about making them into fritters. I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
Nora
Thank you, Jan. Let me know how they turned out!
Megan
This looks soooo good! I am not sure if I can elderflowers locally but I grow a feijoa and the blossom tastes like cotton candy. I am totally going to make this with them when it comes into blossom. Bookmarked for later x
Nora
Thank you, Megan! That sounds fantastic! Let me know how they turned out!