How to Make Limoncello {Limoncello Recipe} - My Frugal Adventures (2024)
By Charlene36 Comments
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I have a delicious recipe for you to try- this is so easy to make and it turns into a really wonderful gift!
This year my Dad had a huge harvest of lemons on his lemon trees and he kept giving us bags and bags of lemons. I decided as part of his Christmas gift this year I would try my hand at homemade Limoncello with his fresh lemons.
The first time I tried Limoncello was when I was on the island of Capri in Italy years ago. Limoncello is serious business there and all the Italians we met kept insisting we try the Limoncello.
Fresh lemons on wooden table
Limoncello is essentially a grain alcohol or Vodka marinated in lemon peels. Then you add a bit of simple syrup and voila! Limoncello! It is a lighter drink and meant to be consumed ice cold.
In Italy we drank this from a shot glass as a digestif at the end of the meal. It is kind of like a Lemon Drop but it has a much richer lemon taste. A true Italian Limoncello isn’t nearly as sugary as the drinks we typically get here in the States- it is cleaner and more refreshing.
On Capri they have beautiful pottery celebrating the amazing lemons they grow- this is one of my little shot glasses that I brought back to remember that spectacular island. They serve Limoncello in a shot glass with a small dessert.
Your homemade Limoncello won’t be quite as good as what they make in Italy but that is because we just don’t get the amazing produce here. (Even in California nothing tastes quite as good as it does there- magic in the water I think.)
So try it out! It is a great gift when you don’t want to make sweets but still want to do something homemade. This is popular as a Wedding favor and a little goes a long way so you can use mason jars or whatever you might have to store your Limoncello.
I also made a big batch for my friends and a few neighbors. This takes just minutes to make and should be served ice cold.
Here is the process for Limoncello- it really couldn’t be easier you just need to plan ahead so it can infuse all that lemony goodness.
Very easy homemade Limoncello recipe. A perfect gift idea!
Ingredients
Lemons- organic if possible
1 bottle good Vodka
Sugar
Water
Patience
Instructions
Grate the rind off 10-13 lemons (depending on size).
Use a potato peeler for this process or a microplane.
You want to carefully avoid the white part of the rind as that is bitter.
Now that you have all those lovely peels add them to a pitcher and dump your Vodka in the pitcher. Stir it a bit and cover with Saran Wrap.
Let this sit in a cool spot for at least 4 days or up to 30.
Once you are done infusing your Vodka with the lemon peel (mine sat for 7 days)- mix 2 cups of sugar with 3 cups of water in a pan.
Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves- just a few minutes.
Once it is dissolved remove from heat and let cool.
In the meantime you can strain your vodka mixture.
I used a mesh strainer and that got most of the peels out.
If you have really fine peels from using a Microplane you might want to strain a second time with paper towels or cheesecloth lining your strainer.
This is not totally necessary but I like the Limoncello to be nice and clear yellow and not have little floaty peels inside.
Once you strain the Vodka mixture add the sugar water and stir well.
Store in freezer.
Any type of lemon works for this recipe, I used Meyer Lemons because that is what I had but the freshest, juicest lemons are the ones to choose. Try to use organic if you can. If cost is an issue or availability is an issue just scrub the lemons really well before you grate them.
Alla tua salute!
Oh and if you do give this as a gift you might include on your tag to serve icy cold. It should be stored in the freezer and it will last 1 year or more!
I find that two weeks works well using Everclear and my Eureka lemons. A lower proof vodka will mean that you may need an additional week or more to reach maximum lemon flavor. Don't worry about how much time your bottle is sitting out infusing, the high proof liquor will prevent mold from growing.
A bottle at the liquor store will run $20 to $35. Making your own costs even more: Traditional homemade limoncello recipes, like our favorite from The New York Times (arkansasonline.com/215limoncello/) take weeks to make and can cost you $45 or more depending on your preferred vodka.
This said, 80 proof vodka is also fine to use — it's also easier to find and less expensive than 100 proof. If you use 80 proof vodka, you won't need to add as much sugar syrup after infusing the vodka.
Wash the lemons thoroughly in warm water, and rinse well. Remove the zest (only the zest - the yellow part) from the lemons. Try not to get any of the white pith that's under the yellow zest, because the pith makes the limoncello taste bitter.
This will make the finished beverage more cloudy, while at the same time adding a sour note to the sweet, boozy lemon liqueur. The more juice you add, the more sour the finished liquid will become.
It's also common to clarify limoncello to make it less cloudy, though even this method retains limoncello's signature yellow color. Most limoncello is bottled between 28 percent and 32 percent alcohol by volume (ABV, 56 to 64 proof).
1) A one gallon glass jar with a screw-on lid: You can get on at Amazon through that link or Home Goods is a good place to get these locally for a reasonable price. You can get smaller ones for smaller batches but I wouldn't recommend it unless space is really THAT tight for you.
In general, it is best to store Limoncello in the refrigerator after it has been opened. This will help to preserve the flavors and keep the liqueur fresh for longer. It is also important to shake the bottle well before serving to ensure that the flavors are well-mixed.
Homemade limoncello doesn't last as long as its store-bought counterpart. Stored in an airtight container, it should last in the refrigerator for up to three months or in the freezer for up to one year.
How much sugar is in Limoncello? 1 1,5 fl oz of Limoncello contains 5 g of sugar. How many calories are in 1 1,5 fl oz of Limoncello? There are 59 calories in 1 1,5 fl oz of Limoncello.
Limoncello is made by mixing two solutions: the ethanolic extract containing the oils, and the aqueous sucrose solution. Each of these starting solutions is completely transparent; limoncello itself, however, is 'turbid', with a cloudy, opaque appearance.
The best limoncello is made with grain alcohol, but if you're like me (in the US) where it's not readily available to buy, use an inexpensive non-potato vodka, like Svedka, Smirnoff or similar. Avoid using high-end vodkas — they're a waste of money when making homemade limoncello!
It's used in many dishes and gives Limoncello its light and zingy taste. You should always store Limoncello either in the refrigerator or the freezer. If you have spare bottles keep them away from direct light, since it will alter the flavour.
My Recipes tell us that in doing so, the oil trapped in the skins of the lemons will slowly release, infusing the alcohol with the fruit's flavor and vibrant color! After this successful steeping process is when simple syrup is added to the maker's liking to sweeten up the bottle.
I've found though that vodka has a flavor of its own that is imparted and I'm not a big fan of that. However, it is much better than nothing so the next best thing is 100 proof, mid-grade vodka. If you must, use the 80 proof but more potent liquor is better.
Everclear tastes more like ethanol than vodka does, simply because that is what it is. If you want to compare their qualities, dilute the Everclear to 40% ABV with distilled water and then compare the taste. Without dilution it will taste much hotter and more peppery because it has so much higher % alcohol.
Limoncello: tangy, refreshing, and perfectly balanced
Generally lighter than its counterparts, limoncello isn't sour or bitter. It's tangy and refreshing. It's also balanced between acidity and sweetness; while the best limoncellos don't burn your throat, neither are they sickly sweet.
They are produced by essentially the same processes, basically distilling grain spirit in column stills. Vodka begins life just like Everclear, distilled to more than 95% alcohol, but water is added at bottling to bring it down to 40%-50%, depending on brand. They just don't add water to Everclear when it's bottled.
Introduction: My name is Aron Pacocha, I am a happy, tasty, innocent, proud, talented, courageous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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