Elderflower Tempura

Enjoy this blossom taste in the flowering time

Step 1: Ingredients

For 10-12 flowers:
Several Elderflower bushes
Cutter
Pan of oil (careful: hot)
For the batter:
100 grams of all purpose flour
1 egg seperated
pinch of salt
200dl beer
To serve:
Confectioners sugar
whipped cream

Step 2: Gathering the Flowers

Once you have found yourself some good elderflower bushes snip off around 10-12 fresh looking  flowers. The stalks shoulden't be shorter than 20 cm (8 inch)  These flowers are best found in the monthes May to June in Amsterdam, so in spring near you.

Step 3:

If the flowers are wet, let them dry well before use. Make sure you remove any beasties by giving the picked flowers a good shake upside down.
If you are not using immediately, place flowers in a vase and admire for a while.

Step 4: Recipe

Split the egg and whisk the whites into soft peaks.
Lightly mix the egg yolk with the rest of the ingredients.
Add the whisked egg white to the batter and mix carefully.

Step 5:

Prepare the flowers for using

Step 6: Frying the Flowers

Get your flowers ready for dipping and heat the oil in the pan until hot. 
Dip a  singel bloom into the batter and lightly shake off any excess batter.

Step 7: Hot Oil

Dip the batterd bloom into the hot oil.  Keep hold of the stem and keep moving the bloom in small jerking movements up, down and around in order te keep the flowers seperate. If you don't,  the the batter will clump up into one big ball.
The bloom should sizzle and turn light brown in about 30 seconds.
Leave to drain on kitchen paper until you cannot stand it any more.

Step 8:

Serve as soon as possible toppe with a sprinkling of confectioners sugar and a side serving of  whipped cream. Enjoy!