I'm looking for a recipe for Lemon Barley Cordial, not the Lemon Barley Water. OH has taken a massive liking to it, and we've gone through a bottle of the Bickfords cordial in less than three days!

I've been looking for a recipe for a cordial which I can make and bottle and that will keep for quite awhile.

I mainly want a cordial recipe because I don't want to have to keep making up Lemon Barley water, as it will be basically gone within the hour.

I have one for Orange Barley, it has got a lemon in it , but i suppose you could use all lemon.

Makes approx 600ml
Keeps for 2 weeks, refridgerated

2 organic oranges
1 small organic lemon
85g pearl barley
200g caster sugar

pare the zest of 1 of the oranges and the lemon and place in a bowl. Squeeze the juice from all the fruit and strain to remove pips and flesh (you hould have about 250ml juice)

put the barley in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to the boil. Then strain through a seive and discard the water. return the barley to the pan. add 600ml of boiling water and the fruit rind and bring back to the boil.Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes. Strain the barley and return the liquid th the pan.

Add the sugar to the strained barley water, stir once then heat gently without stiring untill the sugar is disolved. Boil for 2 min, stiring a couple of times, then add the strained fruit juice and bring back to the boil.

pour immediatley into warmed steralized bottles using a funnel.
Seal, and leave to cool, then stoure in fridge Shake befor use.

This recipe is great. I made it and the kids love it - but we do too. It's not as sweet as more conventional cordial. i reckon it's a keeper.

thanks
kathy