If you have never heard of Limoncello (pronounced “lee-mohn-chel-loh”), it’s an Italian liquor generally served after a meal. They say it helps digest the food (….. if you eat like us here in Italy, you need any digestion help you can get, believe me!) Now, you don’t drink a lot, only about 2 TBSP in a glass. It really leaves you with a refreshing lemon taste and hopefully kills any indigestion you may already have from the first 10 pounds of food you ate! =) =)
Of course here in Sicily, I’ve tasted a lot of Limoncello done by different women, or store bought. And I have to say, really, my mother-in-law makes the best Limoncello. Hers isn’t too “lemon-y” or “alchohol-y”, and for someone who doesn’t drink much liquor (apart wine! =) I find her Limoncello to be the most well balanced ratio of lemons to alcohol. So last week, as she was giving me the recipe, I translated it into English for you all. Here is my mother-in-law’s recipe for authentic Sicilian homemade Limoncello. If you try this and like it, let me know so I can let her know! =)
Ingredients:
-1 Liter of 90 proof alcohol (90 proof means the alcohol content is 45%, by volume)
-2 Liters of water
-900 Grams of sugar (4 1\2 cups)
-Peels of 6 lemons (must be organic lemons!)
Directions:
In a wide mouth jar, place the lemon peels inside and pour over the alcohol. Close and leave to infuse in a dark place for 1 week, shaking periodically.
In a pot, mix the water and sugar. Bring to a low boil and let boil for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently while boiling. Let mixture cool COMPLETELY. In the meantime, filter out the lemon peels from the alcohol. Add the sugar syrup to the alcohol and mix well. Close with a lid and leave in a dark place for two weeks.
Filter the Limoncello once more, and it is now ready to be served at your next Italian meal! Remember: You can do variations, using cinnamon sticks, mandarin peels, or orange peels instead! My personal favorite is using mandarins, known as “mandarinello”. Oh, and another thing, when baking, use a teaspoon of Limoncello instead of extract! It will give you a really pronounced lemon flavor. Yummy =)
Salute!
Wanita =)
For more delicious recipes, be sure to check out my new eBook “Cucina Siciliana” filled with lots of truly authentic recipes given to me by family and friends here in Sicily….it’s only 99 cents!
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5 Comments
Do you have to refrigerate after you make it? How long will it last without refrigeration? Can I process this like canning process? I’d like to make it as gifts.
Hi! No…you do not have to refrigerate it….it can stay a 1-2 years (it’s alcohol)….yes, you can easily make this as a gift!
Forgive my ignorance with my question but I do not drink alcohol. When you say to use 90 proof alcohol, what kind of alcohol? Gin? Vodka? Whiskey? I grow Meyer lemons and have a beautiful crop this year. I’d like to make this recipe for my son and his wife who experienced lemoncello last year while visiting Italy and raved about it. Thank you!
Hi Rowena! Don’t even worry about it….I use Vodka =) With your organic lemons, your Limoncello will turn out delicious!
We’re flying to Sicily April 1st. My son is stationed there. Thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it, along with all that delicious food!