Limoncello Recipe in the Raw

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur that I've always considered a special treat, because it's a sweet indulgence and the really good quality bottles can be a bit pricey. So when Rob's aunt gave us a bottle of her homemade Limoncello for Christmas a couple of years ago, I was estactic and had to learn how to make it myself.

I tried it for the first time last year and though the process takes about a week, the steps are all quick and easy after peeling the lemons.

Last week, I started the homemade Limoncello process by peeling ten lemons and letting them steep in vodka for four days. This weekend, it was time to put on some Andrea Bocelli music and finish the steps.

Here's how it's made, from start to finish.

I used Giada De Laurentiis' Limoncello recipe and substituted white sugar for raw cane sugar. Sugar in the Raw is a tan color because it hasn't been bleached like white sugar, so using it means compromising that vibrant yellow color you see with traditional Limoncello. The final product is a tannish-yellow color, but the taste is just as delicious.

Ingredients:
•10 lemons (Sorrento lemons, if you want to follow tradition)
•1 (750-ml) bottle of vodka
•3 1/2 cups water
•2 1/2 cups sugar

Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips, being careful not to include pith with the peels. Throw all the lemon peels into a 2-quart pitcher or Ball Jar, and pour the vodka over the peels. Cover it up and let the lemon peels infuse the vodka for four or five days at room temperature.

Now that the lemon peels have infused the vodka with citrus flavor, you can move on to step 2. Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5-6 minutes to create a simple syrup. Let it cool, then pour the simple syrup over the vodka mixture using a funnel to avoid spilling it all over the place the way I did the first time I made it.

Cover and let it stand at room temperature overnight. Then, strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer to filter out all of the peels. Discard the peels, transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal them and either put them in the refrigerater or the freezer, to keep it longer than a month.


My favorite ways to drink limoncello is with club soda and basil (Limoncello Cooler), as a Limoncello Martini, or just to sip after dinner.

That's amore...