Recipe Talk

I would love to make my own Limoncello.

http://patty.vox.com/library/post/homemade-limoncello-when-life-gives-you-lemons.html

If you have ever been to Italy, you'll instantly know about Limoncello. It is a lemon liqueur that is served well chilled in the summer months. It is wonderful as a palate cleanser or as an after dinner drink. Keep your bottles of limoncello in the freezer until ready to serve. The ingredients are simple and few, and making a batch doesn't require much work, but you'll need some time. Limoncello must steep for (80) eighty days.

Italian Limoncello

15 lemons*
2 bottles (750 ml) 100-proof vodka**
4 cups sugar
5 cups water

* Choose thick-skinned lemons because they are easier to zest.

** Use 100-proof vodka, which has less flavor than a lower proof one. Also the high alcohol level will ensure that the limoncello will not turn to ice in the freezer.

Wash the lemons with a vegetable brush and hot water to remove any reside of pesticides or wax; pat the lemons dry.

Carefully zest the lemons with a zester or vegetable peeler so there is no white pith on the peel. NOTE: Use only the outer part of the rind. The pith, the white part underneath the rind, is too bitter and would spoil your limoncello. Check out my web page on How to Zest.

Step One:
In a large glass jar (1-gallon jar), add one bottle of vodka; add the lemon zest as it is zested. Cover the jar and let sit at room temperature for at least (10) ten days and up to (40) days in a cool dark place. The longer it rests, the better the taste will be. (There is no need to stir - all you have to do is wait.) As the limoncello sits, the vodka slowly take on the flavor and rich yellow color of the lemon zest.

Step Two:
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water; cook until thickened, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Let the syrup cool before adding it to the Limoncello mixture. Add to the Limoncello mixture from Step One. Add the additional bottle of vodka. Allow to rest for another 10 to 40 days.

Step Three:
After the rest period, strain and bottle: discarding the lemon zest. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

Limoncello recipes

1/11-2 of 2 recipes
Italian Limoncello recipe

2/5 part 100 proof vodka
4 cups sugar
5 cups water
zest of 15 fresh lemons

1. Wash the lemons with a vegetable brush and hot water to remove any reside of pesticides or wax. Carefully zest the lemons with a zester or vegetable peeler so there is no white pith on the peel.

In a 1-gallon glass jar, add one fifth vodka and the lemon zest. Cover the jar and let sit at room temperature for at least 10 days, and up to 40 days in a cool dark place.

3. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook until thickened, appx. 5 to 7 minutes. Let the syrup cool before adding it to the limoncello mixture. Add the additional fifth of vodka. Allow to rest for another 10 to 40 days.

4. After the rest period, strain and bottle, discarding the lemon zest. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

Limoncello Liqueur recipe

7 lemons

1 liter alcohol

1 liter water

700 g sugar

Soak skin of 7 lemons in alcohol for 2 days. Strain. Boil water and sugar and chill. Mix with alcohol. Store in the fridge.