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Authentic Italian Limoncello Recipe

Authentic Italian Limoncello Recipe


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4.6 from 30 reviews

  • Total Time: 37 days
  • Yield: 10 1x

Description

Limoncello from Southern Italy delights with zesty lemon essence and smooth sweetness. Homemade spirits offer pure pleasure when crafted with fresh lemons, vodka, and sugar, inviting you to savor a classic Mediterranean treat.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients:

  • 10 lemons
  • 1 liter everclear (or high-proof alcohol)

Sweeteners:

  • 1 1/2 cups organic honey (or 2 cups sugar)

Instructions

  1. Thoroughly cleanse lemons under hot water, using mild abrasive and soap to remove any waxy residue, ensuring pure citrus essence.
  2. Delicately strip lemon peels, meticulously avoiding bitter white pith, focusing on extracting vibrant yellow skin for optimal flavor profile.
  3. Transfer zesty peels into a spacious glass container, then halve and extract lemon juice, carefully preventing seed contamination.
  4. Cascade high-proof Everclear over lemon peels and extracted juice, securing jar tightly and vigorously agitating to integrate ingredients.
  5. Allow liquid mixture to macerate for precisely 28 days, gently rotating jar daily to promote uniform flavor infusion.
  6. Position fine cheesecloth across a pristine jar, methodically filtering limoncello liquid to eliminate citrus remnants and achieve crystal-clear consistency.
  7. Incorporate natural sweetener like honey, sealing container and thoroughly blending until harmoniously integrated, then rest for additional seven days.
  8. Decant limoncello into elegant smaller vessels, plunge into freezer for minimum 48 hours, ensuring bone-chilling temperature before serving as a refreshing digestif.

Notes

  • Always select organic, unwaxed lemons for the most authentic and pure limoncello flavor, ensuring no chemical residues interfere with the taste.
  • Use high-proof neutral spirits like Everclear to extract maximum lemon essence and create a smooth, intense liqueur without harsh alcohol burn.
  • Maintain consistent daily shaking during infusion to help distribute lemon oils evenly and develop a more balanced, robust flavor profile.
  • Experiment with alternative sweeteners like agave or maple syrup for unique variations that cater to different dietary preferences while preserving the traditional limoncello spirit.
  • Prep Time: 37 days
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Cocktails
  • Method: Infusing
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 10
  • Calories: 69
  • Sugar: 6.5 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17.5 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg