If you've never had limoncello before, it's high time you tried it. Sweet, potent and ultra-citrusy, it tastes like an alcoholic lemon popsicle but better. It's usually served in ice-cold shot glasses and sipped in Italy, the land of its origin. There's nothing better than discovering a new, delicious liqueur except finding out that you can make it at home.
It's definitely more of a summery beverage, but we're completely over the rules that dictate when to drink what. If I want to pretend that I'm on a beach and drink a strawberry daiquiri on a snowy March day, you know I will. That's why we're bringing you an amazing recipe for limoncello today, so that by next week, you'll be sipping like you're on the Amalfi coast.
If you've tried store-bought limoncello and you think it's cloyingly sweet and too strong, fret not. Don't give up on this bright yellow elixir of life. The homemade kind is much more subtle and tastes nothing like the Lysol-scented limoncello you've experienced, plus, you get to decide how sweet or tart you want it.
Once you look over a recipe for homemade limoncello, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to make. All you need is vodka, a few organic lemons and some simple syrup (sugar + water + heat), and you're good to go. Definitely spring for organic lemons, because the alcohol will strip everything from the lemon peel, including pesticides and other preservatives, and nobody wants to sip on that.
All you have to do is peel the lemons with a vegetable peeler or microplane, being careful to get as little bitter white pith as possible. Put the peels in a large jar and cover with a whole bottle of vodka. Close the jar and let it sit for four days to a month, shaking every few days if you remember. Keep it somewhere dark and cool.
Once you're done infusing, make a simple syrup and mix it in. Start with 3/4-cup and add more if you want a sweeter liqueur. Once you're satisfied with the taste, pour it into a jar or airtight bottle and stick it in the freezer. Always drink it perfectly cold. It will keep well in your freezer for up to a year.
You can sip it neat or over ice, or mix it with sparkling water for a delicious, super-fresh fizzy hard lemonade.
Enjoy!