The summer is a magical time in Puglia. As you drive through the countryside, you can see the incredible lemon trees with lemons the size of your hand and on the Terre Di San Vito farm they are spectacular! What better way to celebrate this fabulous fruit than to make your own Limoncello! It is a classic Italian liqueur with a unique unmistakable lemon flavour. Lemon oil is a carminative, which is why limoncello is categorised as a digestif liqueur and enjoyed after a meal. In Puglia, it is drunk ice cold.
Limoncello, was created to make use of the superior quality lemons of Puglia and the Amalfi Coast. Limoncello is made with four simple ingredients: lemon peel, pure alcohol, water and sugar.
The origins of Limoncello are certainly to be found in the beautiful Gulf of Naples. But there are various stories and myths involving monks, intellectuals and even Zeus and the sirens, about the birth of this famous liqueur.
This liqueur is more versatile than you think. It is of course delicious served chilled all on its own in a shot glass, in a summer gin cocktail (recipe in top tips), poured over ice cream or in a scrumptious cheesecake!.
Don’t worry if you can’t get Italian lemons, but they must be lemons with the rough thick peel, large size and, above all, untreated, even better if they are organic.
Ingredients
8-10 large untreated organic lemons
1 litre of pure alcohol 95° or you can use a 100-proof Vodka
600 g of granulated sugar
1 litre of water
Directions:
1 litre of pure alcohol 95° or you can use a 100-proof Vodka
600 g of granulated sugar
1 litre of water
Directions:
Wash the lemons then dry them with kitchen paper. Do not rub them too much so as not to disperse oils and perfume. Use only ORGANIC UNTREATED LEMONS
Peel the lemons with a potato peeler or sharp knife. Take care to remove ONLY the zest (yellow part), leaving the white pith on the lemon as it could give a bitter taste to the liqueur.
Place the lemon zest in a large airtight glass jar then pour the alcohol (or the Vodka). Let them infuse for 2 weeks in a cool place out of direct sunlight. Better cover the jar with a cloth to be sure that it remains in the dark.
During this time, SHAKE THE JAR EVERY DAY to mix the ingredients well without ever opening the jar.
After the required infusion time, you need to make the syrup. Put the water and sugar into a saucepan and, over a low heat, bring to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then let it cool down.
Filter the liquid with a sieve and remove the lemon zest.
Once the syrup is cold, add it to the infusion of alcohol and lemon zest and mix well.
Pour your home made Limoncello into glass bottles with a hermetic closure or cork stopper.
Store the bottles in the freezer or fridge.
Before drinking, if you have kept your liqueur in the fridge, put the bottle of Limoncello into the freezer for a couple of hours
Salute!
Top tips:
Peel the lemons with a potato peeler or sharp knife. Take care to remove ONLY the zest (yellow part), leaving the white pith on the lemon as it could give a bitter taste to the liqueur.
Place the lemon zest in a large airtight glass jar then pour the alcohol (or the Vodka). Let them infuse for 2 weeks in a cool place out of direct sunlight. Better cover the jar with a cloth to be sure that it remains in the dark.
During this time, SHAKE THE JAR EVERY DAY to mix the ingredients well without ever opening the jar.
After the required infusion time, you need to make the syrup. Put the water and sugar into a saucepan and, over a low heat, bring to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then let it cool down.
Filter the liquid with a sieve and remove the lemon zest.
Once the syrup is cold, add it to the infusion of alcohol and lemon zest and mix well.
Pour your home made Limoncello into glass bottles with a hermetic closure or cork stopper.
Store the bottles in the freezer or fridge.
Before drinking, if you have kept your liqueur in the fridge, put the bottle of Limoncello into the freezer for a couple of hours
Salute!
Top tips:
Once the limoncello is ready it can be stored in the freezer. The alcohol and sugar prevent it from freezing so don’t worry. In this way it’s already cold when you want to drink it!
Homemade Limoncello should be drunk within three months from the date of preparation.
During the infusion and storage period, always keep your jars and bottles in a cool dark place. These ingredients are sensitive to light and heat so that a bad storage can compromise the flavour of the Limoncello.
Serve Limoncello ice cold, NOT with the addition of ICE. Keep it in the freezer so it is always ready to drink. Alcohol and sugar prevent the liqueur from freezing, so don’t worry.
So to be honest, I don’t always add the tonic/soda, it depends on the time of day!
Try our Limoncello gin cocktail
This can be made individually or in larger quantities for your BBQ parties!
Homemade Limoncello should be drunk within three months from the date of preparation.
During the infusion and storage period, always keep your jars and bottles in a cool dark place. These ingredients are sensitive to light and heat so that a bad storage can compromise the flavour of the Limoncello.
Serve Limoncello ice cold, NOT with the addition of ICE. Keep it in the freezer so it is always ready to drink. Alcohol and sugar prevent the liqueur from freezing, so don’t worry.
So to be honest, I don’t always add the tonic/soda, it depends on the time of day!
Try our Limoncello gin cocktail
This can be made individually or in larger quantities for your BBQ parties!
1 ounce (measure) homemade Limoncello
1 ounce (measure) of your favourite gin
4 (measures) ounces tonic
Lots of ice
Lemon peel, for garnish
Place the Limoncello, gin and ice into a jug or cocktail shaker. Give it a good mix/shake.
1 ounce (measure) of your favourite gin
4 (measures) ounces tonic
Lots of ice
Lemon peel, for garnish
Place the Limoncello, gin and ice into a jug or cocktail shaker. Give it a good mix/shake.
Pour into a long glass or any fabulous cocktail glass then add the tonic/soda and a slice of lemon peel and serve.
This mixture (without the tonic) can also be put in a blender and served as a very adult slush!
Fabulously refreshing on a hot summer evening!
