Homemade Limoncello
Posted by Donna-Marie Pye on
We have been having fun teaching the some of the food featured in the recent CNN "Search Stanley's Italy" with actor Stanley Tucci. Our first class focused on Naples and Amalfi Coast, so we thought we'd share our recipe for homemade Limoncello while lemons are just reaching the end of their peak season. The only thing better would be to be sipping on it in one of the beautiful cities like Positano, Ravello or Amalfi while overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea in the Gulf of Salerno.
Ingredients...
- 8 lemons, preferably organic
- 1 bottle (750 mL) vodka
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
Method...
- Scrub lemons in hot soapy water; rinse and dry. With vegetable peeler or zester, peel off yellow rind, avoiding white pith. Place rind in a 4-cup (1 L) airtight jar; pour in vodka. Seal and let stand in cool dark place for up to 30 days.
- In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil; boil gently for 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. In a large measuring cup, stir together vodka mixture and sugar mixture; strain through coffee filter or cheesecloth lined funnel into decorative bottles. Discard lemon rind strips. Seal bottles. (Make Ahead: Store in cool, dark place or keep in the freezer for up to 1 year.)
Love Love making Lemonchello. I typically use 12 lemons from my myer tree here in Florida. I like to use grain alcohol vice vodka (everclear) and 3 cups of water and 2 1/2 sugar. I like my hello a but stronger and less sweet. This recipe can be made with any citrus fruit. Lime, Greatfriut, and Orange are excellent. Try making Creme di Chello as well.