Limoncello is an amazing Italian lemon liqueur. Typically served during summer, it is Italy’s national drink now and can easily be ordered in various restaurants and stores almost anywhere in Italy. An interesting fact about this drink is that it is not at all sour as it does not contain any lemon juice.
The flavor of lemon is due to the lemon zest that is used as an ingredient in its making. Lemon zest is the outermost yellow peel of lemon that comprises its essential oils. Limoncello is generally served chilled and often after the dinner in Italy as a great digestif. However, there is no hard and fast rule and you may enjoy it to refresh yourself on a hot afternoon as well or anytime you wish to have it. Apart from using it as a digestif or cocktail, you can also use this liquor to drizzle over fruit salad or ice cream.
Don’t worry! You need not travel to Italy to savor the taste of Limoncello. It is easy to prepare and you can make it at home by yourself. The foremost thing is to select the right lemons. It is preferable to use organic lemons and the ones that have smooth yet thick skin. This is because smooth skin of lemon allows you to zest lemons in a much easier way than most other lemons. Of course, it’s needless to say that whatever lemons you select should have any stickers removed before you actually use them in a recipe such as this.
The next step is to wash the lemons properly under hot water and dry them with paper towels. Now, you need to zest them and ensure that no pith or white rind part remains attached to their peel. Next, pour vodka in a gallon jar. Put the lemon zest in the jar and cover it. Store the jar in some cool place. Let it settle there for at least 10 days. The flavor of your Limoncello will improve if you let it stand for longer, up to a maximum of about 40 days.
Combine sugar and water in a pan and let it cook for around seven minutes. As the mixture gets thickened, allow it to cool and add it to the vodka mixture and lemon in your gallon jar. Let it cool again for the next 40 days.
Further, strain this mixture and discard the lemon zest. Finally, pour the mixture into bottles and let it stay in your freezer until you wish to serve it. You may simply add ice before serving or mix some tonic water to it for a refreshing lemonade beverage. If you wish to serve it after the dinner, amalgamate one portion of heavy cream to two parts of limoncello.
So, you definitely need to have a little patience if you wish to make limoncello at home, but most people find that it is ultimately worth the effort.