Homemade limoncello
- Published: 31 Aug 06
- Updated: 18 Mar 24
Want to make your own limoncello? Then here’s how – get ready to delight a loved one by giving it as a gift or keep it in the freezer for impromptu after-dinner digestif. It needs a few weeks to macerate and infuse, so make sure you start it in good time.
We also have a clemencello recipe made with clementines.
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Makes 1 litre
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Takes 10 min to make, plus 2 weeks’ infusing, 10 days’ macerating and freezing
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Ingredients
- 6 large lemons (unwaxed if possible)
- 750ml bottle 100% proof vodka
- 200g granulated sugar
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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 later, 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.
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- Recipe from September 2006 Issue
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Wow! I didn’t know limoncello could be made at home. I’m definitely going to try this!