Homemade Elderberry Cough Drops
User Reviews
5
Homemade Elderberry Cough Drops
Description
Homemade Elderberry Cough Drops begin by steeping freeze-dried elderberries in boiling water to extract their juice, which is then combined with raw honey and coconut oil. The mixture is heated and repeatedly brought to a boil with constant whisking until reaching about 300°F, the hard crack stage typical for candy making. This process evaporates moisture, darkens the honey slightly, and yields a sticky syrup suitable for forming into lozenges.
The mixture is poured into small candy molds and frozen immediately to set the drops, which helps them firm up and maintain shape. The ingredients—honey's soothing texture, elderberry's reputed soothing properties, and coconut oil's smoothness—combine for a comforting homemade remedy.
Due to the stickiness of the final product, storing the cough drops in the freezer preserves their firmness and prevents melting. They are meant to dissolve slowly in the mouth to offer relief from cough and sore throat symptoms.
Attention to careful heating and whisking prevents burning the honey while achieving the desired consistency. Using a timer for about six minutes after the mixture begins bubbling facilitates reaching the correct stage without a thermometer.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey raw
- 2 tablespoons elderberries freeze-dried
- 1 tablespoons water boiling
- 1 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, pour the boiling water over the elderberries, and cover. Let sit 10 minutes to steep.
- Strain the elderberries, and press out all the juice.
- In a small pot, combine the elderberry juice, honey, and coconut oil and heat over medium to high heat.
- Bring the mixture to a bubbling boil (it will foam), remove from heat, and whisk until the bubbles go down. Place back on the heat.
- Repeat this for 6 minutes or until the mixture sits at 300 degrees. The mixture should darken slightly and become a bit more sticky as the honey thickens up.
- Pour the mixture into individual candy molds, keep them fairly small. Place in the freezer to set (and store there).
Notes
- Whisk the honey mixture constantly while heating to avoid burning and to properly evaporate moisture.
- If a candy thermometer is unavailable, time the boiling and alternate whisking and resting to reach the desired consistency.
- Store finished cough drops in the freezer until use to prevent melting due to their sticky nature.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 15Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 26 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 26kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 1mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 8mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 12IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 1mg | 0% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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