Limoncello

[vettechick99]

I'm in the midst of making my first batch. I did the first step of infusion 25 days ago and today I added the sugar syrup. Well, no two recipes are alike, so I wasn't sure how much sugar syrup to add...so I did a 2 cups water/2.5 cups sugar deal and added that to 1000 mL of vodka. It's tasting pretty sweet to me. Maybe a little too sweet.

My question - it's been over 2 years since I had Limoncello last. How sweet is it supposed to be? And will the sweetness mello over time?

 

[pilikia97]

I love that stuff! I think Limoncello is pretty sweet, not unlike an ice wine...DH's Uncle made a homemade batch and his was extremely sweet! So I think you might just have to experiment with more batches if you think this one is too sugary. Good luck!

 

[Christine]

My co-worker just made his first batch. He didn't say it was sweet but was very robust with lemon flavor. Also, he used grain alcohol in his.

 

[Tiggeroo]

i'm jealous that you did this. I"ve been wanting to make this too. I've seen several recipes. The only difference seems to be the time frame. Limoncello is sweet. It's meant to be an apertif type drink, cordial type. Plus you can put it over ice cream and things like that.
here is Giarda DeLaurentis from food network's recipe. I'd listen to her because of her italian heritage. I had also looked up alot of recipes before. I wonder if there's anything you can do with those lemon peels. It seems like you could use them in cooking or something.
10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar


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.

 

[Hollyann]

My co-worker just made his first batch. He didn't say it was sweet but was very robust with lemon flavor. Also, he used grain alcohol in his.

That's what I use in mine. I was lucky enough to live in Sicily for 3 years and had a local teach me how to make it. Yummm.....

I am now sugar free and I'm thinking I may make it using Splenda. Anyone try that before?

I don't think there's such thing as a bad limoncello!

 

[disneysteve]

Funny this should come up. I just bottled a batch today. Here's my recipe.

1 liter of grain alcohol (Everclear)
Peels of 18 lemons

That steeps in a stainless steel bowl for 2 weeks in the basement covered with plastic wrap.

1 liter of water
4 cups of sugar

Mix that together in pot and heat until mixture becomes clear and just begins to boil. Remove from heat and cool.

Strain the alcohol mixture well. I put it through a fine strainer first and then pour it through a coffee filter to get out any little sediment. Then mix the alcohol with the sugar syrup and bottle it. Keep it refrigerated but it is far better if you keep it in the freezer.

This recipe has gotten rave reviews, including some folks who have had fresh limoncello in Italy and said they liked mine better.

 

[vettechick99]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think my sugar syrup ratio was off. Most recipes have you add less sugar to the amount of water, and I did it backwards (well the recipe had me do it that way). I think I'll create a weak sugar syrup and add that to it. Hopefully I won't dilute the bite of the liquor. I guess I can always add a bit of vodka back in. Although I'd hate to do that.

Well, it's my first try. Hopefully my family will think it's at least drinkable!!

 

[LeCras]

Well, it's my first try. Hopefully my family will think it's at least drinkable!!

If your family don't like it, feel free to send it my way - I've never met a limoncello I didn't like!

Charlotte

 

[Aidensmom]

If your family don't like it, feel free to send it my way - I've never met a limoncello I didn't like!

Charlotte

I was going to say the same thing!

 

[jipsy]

PM me for my address

 

[Sleepy]

Funny this should come up. I just bottled a batch today. Here's my recipe.

1 liter of grain alcohol (Everclear)
Peels of 18 lemons

That steeps in a stainless steel bowl for 2 weeks in the basement covered with plastic wrap.

That is way different than the way the locals taught us.

 

[Tiggeroo]

That is way different than the way the locals taught us.

what did they teach you?

 

[robinb]

If your family don't like it, feel free to send it my way - I've never met a limoncello I didn't like!

My DH had some "fresh" from Italy a while a go and loved it. We had some from Alfredo's in Epcot and it was nasty. How do these recipes compare to the stuff at Epcot?

 

[disneysteve]

That is way different than the way the locals taught us.

We discovered Limoncello about a year ago when we dined at a fine Italian restaurant in our area. It is owned and run by first generation Italian immigrants and is quite authentic from what I understand. They don't have a liquor license but they do serve a complimentary shot of homemade limoncello after dinner. The 2nd or 3rd time we ate there, I spoke to the owner and got his recipe which is the one I described earlier.

Obviously, there are numerous recipes out there, but I can tell you ours has been very well received. Not long ago, we saw a cooking show on PBS and the host was visiting Italy. She went to a limoncello factory and other than the fact that they were operating on a far larger scale, they basically followed the exact same process.

What's your method Sleepy?

 

[Christine]

disneysteve,

I agree that your recipe is probably the most authentic. I think some of the variations (using Vodka) are because some places don't have easy access to grain alcohol. For instance, it is not easy to get it at the Virginia ABC store. We had to purchase it in D.C. It would seem to me that Vodka would change the flavor. Since grain alchohol is neutral in flavor it seems the way to go.

 

[disneysteve]

It would seem to me that Vodka would change the flavor.

Vodka can also be made from a variety of raw materials - potatoes, wheat, rye, corn, etc. And various brands differ significantly in taste. All of that would influence the final product. I guess we're "lucky" that we can get grain without difficulty.

 

[Crankyshank]

I learned how to make limoncello from my Italian Grandmother and I use grain alcohol but have found some vodkas to be a decent enough substitute. You can't use the cheaper vodkas unfortunately or it tastes like furniture polish

I don't let mine steep in stainless steel bowls but I do keep in the basement in a gallon glass jug.

 

[RUDisney]

So, for those of you who make Limoncello, is the taste better than the "store-bought" brands? Those I think taste like cough medicine even though DH likes them. It seems that making it myself, I might like it better. Its got everything in it that I like and I can control the sweetness.

My only beef with this is that the topic wasn't brought up sooner. Homemade Limoncello would have went over big at the IL's house for Christmas.

 

[disneysteve]

So, for those of you who make Limoncello, is the taste better than the "store-bought" brands?

YES!!

 

[disneysteve]

One other tip: limoncello is best when served very cold. We keep ours in the freezer. It just doesn't taste the same or go down as smoothly when it is in the refrigerator.