Homemade Limoncello

Limoncello - the classic italian digestif (after dinner drink). I will never say no to a small glass of this after a meal, however I do find store bought limoncello too sweet. In the US most things are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup which is not only saccharine-sweet, but also addictive.

After doing a bit of research I now make my own, so I can taper down it's cloying aftertaste to a more subtle flavour. It's about personal preference. The process, whilst simple - takes about a month to complete. It's worth it though!

What I used:

one 750mL bottle of 100 proof vodka
six organic lemons
two and a half cups of water
one and a half cups of granulated sugar

Some notes: 100 proof vodka (50% alcohol) is recommended over 80 proof vodka (40% vodka) as it has less flavour and absorbs the essential oils from the lemon rind more effectively. Stronger grain alcohols are available in the US and commonly used when making limoncello (ie Everclear 151 and 190 proof). Unfortunately for me, they are not sold in NYC. Maybe when I take a day trip to New Jersey I'll stock up for my next batch.

Step one:

Using a vegetable peeler remove the lemon rinds. Be careful to not get any white pith as it is quite bitter. Save the lemons for a later use.

Step two:

Pour the vodka into a jug. Place lemon rinds into the vodka and cover the jar with cling wrap. Let them steep for a week at room temperature.

Step three:

Make the sugar syrup. Place sugar and water in saucepan and heat until sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture cool completely.

Now, if you are thinking "Can i replace sugar with something else, like agave?" Well - I suppose you can, but be mindful of the fact that the sugar impacts the consistency of the limoncello as well as its flavour.

Step four:

Add the sugar syrup to the lemon infused vodka. I suggest you do this in stages and taste as you go. Use minimum amount of sugar to get to a sweetness which you find most palatable. Most store bought limoncellos have considerably more sugar but I think you can get away with quite a bit less without impacting the taste.

Make sure that both the sugar syrup and the vodka are the same temperature. If the syrup is too warm, the mixture will go cloudy. This doesn't affect flavour, only aesthetics.

Leave this mixture for another 24 hours at room temperature.

Step five:

Strain the mixture to remove the lemon rinds and pour the limoncello into a sealed bottle. Place in the freezer for up to one month (don't worry - it won't freeze) and serve chilled.