How to Use Up Your Excess Lemons – A Delicious Limoncello Recipe
My mother was Italian so I have a bit of an affinity with all things Italian and this includes drinking Limoncello.
For those that don’t know, Limoncello is a liqueur with the main ingredient being lemons. It has a sweet lemon taste but with a typical alcoholic aftertaste since this is after all an alcoholic drink.
In the past, we had always bought it ready made from our local bottle shop but eventually found a recipe for it so we now make it at home on a regular basis. There is always a bottle of Limoncello in the house ready for drinking.
The actual recipe itself is quite simple but it does take a couple of months for it to brew so you won’t be able to drink it straight away….well you can if you like, but it really won’t be anywhere near as good as it doesn’t allow for the lemons to release their wonderful flavor.
Once ready, you store it in the freezer but you don’t have to worry about it freezing. It stays completely liquid but comes out nice and icy cold ready for drinking.
We originally got this recipe at Italyum so you can head over there if you need clarification of the recipe.
Limoncello
Equipment
- A 2-3 litre jar with a sealed lid. Wash and sterilize before use.
Ingredients
- 1 ltr Vodka 4 1/4 cups of Vodka (37-40%Vol)
- 10 lemons unwaxed and organic is preferable
- 350 gms sugar 12 ounces Granulated sugar
- 150 ml water 10 tablespoons (5/8 cup) Water
Instructions
- Wash the lemons well in water. Then dry well with paper towels
- In a saucepan over low heat, stir the sugar and the water to make a syrup
- When the syrup becomes a little clearer and it looks like the sugar has dissolved, remove from the stove top to cool
- Slice or peel the skin from the lemons. You want to end up with small pieces. Ensure you take the yellow rind only
- Place the rind in a large glass jar
- Pour in the vodka
- Add the sugar syrup. Ensure the syrup has cooled before adding
- Seal the jar and store in a cool dark spot for at least 30 days
- You will need to mix the ingredients on a regular basis by turning the jar back and forward to stir the ingredients. We do it maybe once a week…when we remember
- After the 30 days transfer the liquid to a bottle. You will need a funnel and some sort of strainer to ensure you don’t transfer any of the lemon rind into the bottle
- Store in your freezer and when cold you are ready to drink
Notes
Enjoy.
