Homemade Limoncello Recipes

Steps:

• Grate the zest from the lemons using a Microplane grater, taking care to leave the pith behind. Place the zest in a 3-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over it and stir. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a spot where it won't be disturbed, at room temperature, and let steep 1 week.
• Combine 3 1/2 cups water and the sugar in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Let cool completely, then pour the syrup into the pitcher with the zest and stir. Cover tightly again and let stand for 24 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Pour into clean bottles with tight-fitting caps. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Zest the lemons, and place zest into a large glass bottle or jar. Pour in vodka. Cover loosely and let infuse for one week at room temperature.
• After one week, combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Do not stir. Boil for 15 minutes. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature.
• Stir vodka mixture into syrup. Strain into glass bottles, and seal each bottle with a cork. Let mixture age for 2 weeks at room temperature.
• Place bottled liqueur into the freezer. When icy cold, serve in chilled vodka glasses or shot glasses.

Steps:

• Note that if you have a choice, use thick-skinned lemons because they are easier to zest.
• Also note that 100 proof vodka has less flavor than a lower proof vodka. Also, the high alcohol level ensures that the Limoncello will not turn to ice in the freezer.
• Wash the lemons with a vegetable brush and hot water to remove any residue of pesticides or wax; pat dry.
• Carefully zest the lemons with a zester or vegetable peeler so there is no white pith on the peel. Only use the outer part of the rind. The pith, the white part underneath the rind is too bitter and would spoil the Limoncello.
• In a large glass jar (1 gallon), add one bottle of vodka; add the lemon zest as it is zested. Cover the jar and let sit at room temperature for at least ten days and up to 40 days in a cool dark place. The longer it rests, the better the taste will be. There is no need to stir, all you have to do is wait! The longer the Limoncello sits, the vodka slowly takes on the flavor and rich yellow color of the lemon zest.
• After the Limoncello has sat on the lemon zests for the allotted period of time, combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan. Cook until thickened, approximately 5 - 7 minutes.
• Let the syrup cool before adding it to the Limoncello mixture. Add the second bottle of vodka to the mixture. Allow the jar to rest for another 10 - 40 days.
• After the second rest period, strain and bottle the liquor and discard the lemon zest. Keep bottles you are using in the freezer and serve ice cold.

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.
• Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.

Steps:

• 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 screw-top lid or sealed with clamps and cover with one bottle of vodka.
• Leave mixture 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 the sugar has dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature (This is very important- if the sugar syrup is still warm the limoncello will result cloudy instead of limpid).
• Using a coffee filter or fine sieve, strain the vodka from the peels and mix it with the remaining bottle of vodka and the syrup. Put the liqueur in bottles, seal tightly (cork or screw-top lid) and let the components marry, in a dark place, for at least 10 days before using.
• For drinking straight, store the Limoncello in the freezer.

Steps:

• Pare the zest from all the lemons, taking care not to include any white pith. Put the zest in a large clean jar and pour over the vodka. Cover with a tightly fitting lid and leave for a week, shaking the jar each day.
• Put the sugar in a heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vodka and peels and leave for a further week, shaking the jar regularly.
• Strain into decorative bottles, adding a few strips of lemon zest to each bottle.