Limoncello

I learned to love Limoncello while I was living in the Cayman Islands at a restaurant called Casanova's by the Sea that would present guests with a small nip of this sweet Italian liqueur alongside their bill. About a year after trying it for the first time, I read a book that included instructions for how to make it. I never made that recipe, however I've often thought about doing so. That recipe required 3 months, but after doing some research, I found that Limoncello can actually be made quite easily in as little as two weeks. This is the recipe I prefer and it's not only delicious, but it also makes a great present for a friend or a wonderful hostess gift when you're invited to someone's house for dinner! It simply doesn't get much more thoughtful than a homemade liqueur that requires two weeks of attention… It's a rustic, heartfelt and charming little something you can do for someone else.

Ingredients
1 litre bottle of vodka
5 unwaxed lemons
3 cups caster sugar
3 cups boiling water

Method

1. Peel the zest from the lemons taking as little white pith as possible.
2. Put the peels in a large mason jar. Pour the vodka over the peels and put the lid on the jar tightly.
3. Leave the peels in vodka in a cool, dark place for 1 week, shaking the jar once a day.
4. On the 7th day, pour the sugar into a large mixing bowl. 
5. Pour the boiling water into the sugar, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
6. Add the vodka and zest and stir. The pour the whole mixture back into the large mason jar or split between two of them if you have to.
7. Leave the jar or jars in a cool dark place for another week, again shaking once each day.
8. At the end of the second week, the Limoncello is ready. Strain and funnel the liquid into either mason jars with lids or into bottles with lids.
9. Before serving, either chill in the fridge or freezer or shake over ice in a cocktail shaker and strain. 

Limoncello is great on its own as a digestif, but it's also delicious poured over sorbet and lots of other delicious desserts! What's your favorite way to enjoy Limoncello?