Surely everyone knows the delicious woodruff from their childhood. Hardly anyone doesn't like the pleasant aroma of this native plant. But soda isn't all you can make from the plant. Both cakes and punch and even alcoholic onesDrinks are a real treat for the palate, which is worth trying out. We would like to introduce you to this interesting plant and provide some delicious woodruff recipes.
Woodruff in the kitchen
The Woodruff (Gallium scented) is a garden plant from Europe that is often used as a ground cover. In the kitchen, the leaves and flowers are valued for their pleasant aroma, which can only develop once they are dried or at least wilted. Both the leaves and the flowers are harvested shortly before and during the flowering period. Since the stems have a bitter taste, it is best to avoid them.
Woodruff is also known for its positive effects on our health, which is another reason why woodruff recipes are so popular. Soaked in milk overnight you geta delicious drink, which is designed to reduce anxiety and help us fall asleep more easily. In the form of tea, the plant is said to have an invigorating and strengthening effect (especially when it comes to the liver), stimulate digestion and have anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic and diuretic effects. The properties summarized again:
- calming
- blood purifying
- digestive
- calms the gastrointestinal tract
- antispasmodic and therefore also helps with menstrual problems
- helps with insomnia and restlessness
- strengthens the vessels and veins
- In normal amounts, prevents migraines and headaches (but also promotes them in excessive amounts)
- reduces blood clotting
- Helps with eczema, boils and poorly healing wounds
- sweaty
- has a positive effect on liver and bladder stones
- beneficial for heart failure
Caution is advised for people taking blood thinnerstake medication, as the plant contains coumarin, which is a natural anticoagulant. However, because the amount in the dried plant is extremely small, dried woodruff is generally considered safe for almost everyone. Nevertheless, just in case, you should consult your doctor before consuming the plant in any form. People with migraines should also avoid consumption, as coumarin is a potential trigger.
Woodruff recipes for cakes
WaldmeisterCake recipesare very popular and once you try the following recipe you will understand why. If you use woodruff, plan around 3 days for the preparation, as it should first develop its flavors in the milk. You need the following products:
- 3 handfuls of woodruff leaves and flowers that you let wilt overnight
- 2 tsp well-dried woodruff, ground into powder
- 4 large eggs – yolks and whites separated
- 150g sugar
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 8 tbsp melted butter
- 75 g wheat or spelled flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp grated lemon peel
- 480 ml milk or coffee cream
- Powdered sugar for sprinkling
Recipes with Woodruff – Preparing the cake
After you have let the woodruff leaves and flowers wilt overnight, stir them into the milk or coffee cream and leave the whole thing covered in a warm place for a day. Then put the woodruff cream in the refrigerator for another two days, after which you strain the cream to remove the plant parts. Line a 20 x 20 cm cake tray with baking paper, leaving some of the paper overhanging the edges to make it easier to lift the cake out of the tray later.
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar and water for about 5 minutes (the sugar should dissolve). Stir in the melted butter and then add the flour, lemon peel, salt and dried woodruff. After you have mixed everything together well, stir in the milk or coffee cream.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and then fold them into the dough. Don't stir for too long! The egg white may be a little lumpy in the dough. Spread the dough in the tray and bake the cake for about 50 to 55 minutes. Then let the woodruff cake cool down at room temperature, then cover it and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours (even better overnight). Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar before serving.
Woodruff syrup recipes as a basis for drinks and other things
If you want to prepare woodruff recipes with fresh woodruff, syrup is the perfect choice. WoodruffSyrup recipesare particularly practical because the syrup can then be used for various other recipes, such as drinks and creams. Ice cream, cakes, puddings or other desserts can also be served with it. We would like to introduce you to a woodruff syrup recipe below. It is intended for a larger stock. If you need a smaller amount, you can simply reduce the ingredients.
- 1kg sugar
- 2 liters of water
- 3 lemons
- 120 g fresh woodruff
- optional: green food coloring
Wash the woodruff, remove flowers and leaves and let them wilt overnight or for 2 days (the longer, the more aromatic). Wash the lemons and cut them into slices. Heat the water with the sugar in a saucepan and cook for about 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the water is clear. Turn off the heat and add the lemons and woodruff to the pot. Now let the mixture rest, covered, overnight or for a maximum of 2 days (no longer!).
Then pour the syrup through cheesecloth or a very fine sieve into a pot, where you can give it a green color with a few drops of food coloring if you wish. Reheat the syrup and simmer over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the syrup into clean bottles and close them immediately, then place them on a kitchen towel (do not stand them) to cool. Try seltzer with woodruff syrup! This is one of the easiest woodruff recipes for soda and you will definitely like it!
Wackle pudding
Diegood old jellyOf course, it shouldn't be missing from our list of woodruff recipes. The woodruff flavor is a true classic. If you would like to make the jelly pudding yourself, you will need:
- 1 liter of water
- 200 ml woodruff syrup
- 2 1/2 THE Gelatine
- 4-6 drops of green food coloring
- 120 ml water for the gelatine
Place the 120ml water in a glass or metal bowl and stir in the gelatine, then set aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Fill a pot with about 5 centimeters of water. bring it to a boil and turn off the stove again. Place the bowl with the gelatine in it and dissolve it, stirring constantly. Be careful not to let the gelatin start to boil. Take them off the stove.
Mix the water with the syrup and food coloring and slowly add this mixture to the gelatine, stirring constantly. Pour the liquid jelly into any container in which you want it to harden. Let them set in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours and only take them out when serving. A vanilla sauce tastes very good with this, but so does sweet whipped cream.
Woodruff recipes for drinks without alcohol
Woodruff recipes tea
For about 150 ml of tea you need a teaspoon of dry woodruff leaves and flowers. Simply boil the water, pour it over the leaves and let them steep for 30 minutes. If you sweetenedPrefer tea, you can sweeten it with honey. Since the tea has a calming effect, you can enjoy it in the evening before going to bed if you have trouble sleeping. Its antispasmodic properties also make woodruff perfect for menstrual problems.
Woodruff punch recipes
- 500 ml carbonated water
- 500 ml apple juice
- 1/2 lemon
- approx. 25 woodruff flowers
Place the flowers and apple juice in a bowl, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 24 hours. Remove the flowers with a sieve, squeeze half the lemon and add the juice and water. Cool the punch with a few ice cubes. If you wish, you can use such woodruffPunch recipesalso expand with any pieces of fruit.
Woodruff lemonade recipes
- 150 g Honey
- 235 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 235ml water
- 3 tbsp woodruff leaves
Prepare a syrup from 80 ml of water and honey by heating both, but not to the boil. Pour in the lemon juice and the remaining water. Taste the mixture to see if it is sweet enough for you. Place the woodruff leaves in a tea strainer and let them steep in hot water for 30 minutes. Then squeeze the leaves to preserve the flavor in the lemonade and let the lemonade cool at room temperature. Then set therefreshing lemonadein the fridge and serve cold.
Recipes with woodruff plants – alcoholic drinks
Punch with wine
- 2 bottles of dry white wine
- 1 branch woodruff
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 lime
- 1 bottle of semi-dry sparkling wine
Put the white wine and sugar in a bowl, rinse the woodruff and place it in the bowl in the same way, but so that the stems are not in the wine if possible. After 10 to 15 minutes, remove the woodruff, grate the lime zest and squeeze out the juice. Then add both to the bowl. Finally, pour in the sparkling wine and the punch is ready.
Woodruff cocktail recipe
- 1/2 branch woodruff
- 500 ml lemonade (e.g. homemade woodruff lemonade from the recipe above)
- 1 lime
- 100 ml Vodka
- fresh woodruff leaves for garnish
Rinse the branch and let it wilt overnight. Cut the lime into thin slices, reserving the juice. Mix half of the lemonade with the lime juice and add the wilted woodruff leaves. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for an hour, stirring once after 30 minutes. Then remove the leaves using a sieve and add the remaining lemonade and vodka.Serve the cocktailsin cocktail glasses that you garnish with lime slices and woodruff leaves.
Woodruff beer recipe
Delicious woodruff recipesfor all beer fansWould you like? A woodruff beer is quick and easy to make if you have homemade woodruff syrup on hand. And this delicacy is very easy to prepare: you need 2 cl of syrup per 300 ml of beer. Mix both in a large glass, which you then fill with more beer. Complete!
Woodruff schnapps recipes
- 6 fresh woodruff stems
- 500 ml Vodka
- 2 EL Waldmeistersirup
Allow the stems to dry for at least 4 hours so that they can develop their aroma. Fill a bottle 3/4 full with vodka, add the stems and let it steep for at least 2 days. Fill the rest of the bottle with syrup or until the desired sweetness is reached, close the bottle and shake it well. The finished schnapps can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. You can also color the liquor green with food coloring. If you would like to use other alcohol for such woodruff recipes, use more neutral alcohol so that the aroma of the woodruff can come into its own.
