Lemontastic Limoncello
Posted by The Wares Team on 13th Aug 2019
When Life Gives You Lemons …...
Now that you have eaten your pesto-drizzled pizza, dipped your bread in infused oil and preserved your vegetables the Mediterranean way, there is a possibility that you may just have space for a sweet grown-up treat!
Nothing marks the end of an Italian meal quite like a glass of Limoncello ( and an optional strong black coffee of course.)
Limoncello is a zesty and refreshing summer liqueur which gets it's delicious flavour from the skins of lemons (or other citrus fruits when making variations!) It can be enjoyed either neat, with ice and a mixer or drizzled over ice cream or sorbet. This delicious treat is almost as easy to make as it is to drink; just follow this super recipe shared from our friends at Delicious Magazine:
Ingredients
- 6 large lemons (unwaxed if possible)
- 750ml bottle 100% proof vodka
- 200g granulated sugar
Method
- Wash the lemons well. Peel the zest from the lemons with a potato peeler, taking care not to remove any of the white pith underneath. Place the zest in a large sterilised screw-top or clip-top jar and cover with half the vodka. Seal and set aside for 2 weeks.
- Two weeks after, put 225ml water and the sugar together in a saucepan over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Leave the sugar syrup to cool completely. This is very important because if the sugar syrup is warm it will produce a cloudy limoncello.
- Pass the lemon-infused vodka through a very fine or muslin-lined sieve into a jug and mix with the remaining vodka and the sugar syrup. Pour the mixture into a sterilised bottle and seal tightly with a cork or airtight lid. Set aside in a dark cool place for 10 days for the flavours to develop.
- To serve as a liqueur, chill in the freezer for several hours before drinking.
We may not all have the luxury of a sunny holiday to look forward to (or any chance of a Mediterranean climate at home), but embracing the Italian techniques of preserving and cooking will certainly help bring a European twist to your kitchen!