The clumsy dance of the colours and patterns of life

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Saturday, January 2, 2010

Homemade Limoncello


Time to mature: about 3 weeks        Yields: 7-9 bottles
 
Ingredients
12 lemons (thick skinned)
2-750 ml bottles 100% proof vodka, divided (the cheaper the better)
2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar

Directions
Remove yellow part of lemon peel either with micro-plane or sharp peeler. If any pith remains on the back of a strip of peel, scrape it off. Place peels in a large jar with a screw-top lid or which can be sealed with clamps; cover with one bottle of vodka. Leave to mellow for 2 weeks in a dark place. After mixture sets, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Allow syrup to cool completely to room temperature (very important! If the sugar syrup is still warm, the limoncello will be cloudy). Using a coffee filter or a fine sieve, strain the vodka from the peels and mix it with the remaining bottle of vodka and the syrup. Put liqueur in bottles, seal tightly (cork or screw-top lid), let the components marry in a dark place for at least 10 days before using. For drinking straight, store limoncello in the freezer.

Notes
Use organic fruit if possible. If you can't use organic fruit, or it's too expensive, you can prep non-organic citrus by soaking them in water for about half an hour before starting the process. Additionally, under-ripe fruit produces the highest flavour.