I've said it before; my family and I really like Ricola cough drops. I can't seem to store enough of them, even though no one's even had a cold for months. Anyway, we can't possibly store an unlimited supply of cough drops, so it's a good idea to be prepared with a recipe to make them, especially if we're in an area where we can harvest chokecherry bark.
Chokecherry Cough Drops
1 teaspoon butter, divided
1 cup powdered chokecherry bark
1/2 cup dried elderberries
3 cups water
1 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cherry extract, optional, for flavor
Combine chokecherry bark powder, elderberries, and water in a medium saucepan. Cover pan and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain to remove herbs and return liquid to saucepan.
Simmer over very low heat until 2 cups of liquid remain. Mix in honey and sugar and stir to completely dissolve all sugar. Add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to the syrup to decrease foaming. Bring syrup to a boil over medium heat and cook until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit (hard crack). Remove from heat immediately. Stir in the extract, if desired.
Pour the syrup into prepared molds or onto parchment paper dusted with powdered sugar. After the lozenges are completely cooled, wrap individually in parchment paper. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place. Shelf life: 2 years.
If you are making these for young children, consider making them lollipops to reduce the risk of choking.
Links to related posts:
The Medicinal Uses of Chokecherry
Honey Lemon Sore Throat Drops
