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
- Peel the zest from the lemons taking as little white pith as possible.
- Put the peels in a large mason jar. Pour the vodka over the peels and put the lid on the jar tightly.
- Leave the peels in vodka in a cool, dark place for 1 week, shaking the jar once a day.
- On the 7th day, pour the sugar into a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the boiling water into the sugar, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
- 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.
- Leave the jar or jars in a cool dark place for another week, again shaking once each day.
- 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.
- 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?
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