People have been eating and drinking dandelion leaves for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. In the middle ages, people used to make an alcoholic drink called mead using dandelions and the roots of the burdock plant. Mead can also be made using honey. 

The syrup is very sweet and great for topping pancakes, porridges, and ice cream!

You will need:

  • 1 small jam jar
  • 1 generous handful of dandelion flowers
  • 375ml of water
  • 250g of sugar
  • Juice of half a lemon
  1. First, collect the flowers while being careful not to squash them. Make sure to give them a quick rinse and put them face down on a kitchen towel to dry.
  2. Then use scissors to remove the green parts of the flower and put the heads in a small saucepan.
  3. Add the water and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture overnight to cool.
  4. Strain the dandelion liquid into a bowl using a sieve lined with a kitchen towel. You can then throw the petals away and keep the liquid.
  5. Return the liquid to the pan and add the sugar and lemon juice. Let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. Allow the mixture to cool and pour it into a jar. The mixture should thicken as it cools. You can then keep the syrup in the fridge for up to a month.
Picked dandelions
Dried dandelion heads
Dandelion syrup