lemoncello

[UncleDave]

Has anyone ever tried to make an alcoholic lemonade with lemoncello, I read about it once in a magazine, but never tried it myself.

I have tried the lemon liquor itself, but never mixed. I can see it being good.

[smallblueplanet]

Nicos, I make a pukka 80 Limoncello recipe (from Sorento) and you can use either alcohol or vodka although the alcohol is more traditional. I think its grain based and is grand in punches or anything else to be honest. At 10 euros a litre its much cheaper than vodka.

I now only have 20 days to wait for my next batch to finish.

Hey pukka piggie! Have I missed seeing your authentic Sorrento limoncello recipe then?

How was your last batch?

[pigletwillie]

Its proper more-ish SBP. Well worth the wait.

[smallblueplanet]

Yeah yeah piggie - so give us the recipe pleeze.

why ain't you watching the rugby?

[pigletwillie]

I was, it was half time.

Limoncello

True Limoncello is made in Sorrento, from lemons whose trees overlook the Mediterranean. However, if you have good lemons, it’s not difficult.
INGREDIENTS:
• 15 thick-skinned lemons
• 2 bottles (750 ml each) of the best 100 proof Vodka or a 750 ml bottle of 190-proof alcohol
• 4 1/2 cups (1 k) sugar
• 5 cups (1.2 litres) water if you use vodka, or 8 (2 litres) if you use grain alcohol
PREPARATION:
Wash the lemons in hot water before you start. Remove the peel with a vegetable peeler, removing all white pith on the back of the peel by scraping with a knife, and put the peels in a demijohn.

Add 1 bottle of Vodka, or half the alcohol, and stir. Cover the jar, date it, and put it to rest in a dark cabinet at room temperature.

After 40 days, take out the lemon-Vodka mixture. In a sauce pan set over high heat, stir the sugar and water together and boil for 5 minutes. Let the sugar syrup cool completely in the pan, about 10 minutes. Add the sugar syrup to the lemon-Vodka mixture along with the second bottle of Vodka or the remaining alcohol.

Stir well to combine. Replace the demijohn bung and note the finish date. Return it to the dark cabinet and store for 40 more days.

At day 80, remove the limoncello from the cabinet. Strain the mixture and discard the lemon peel.

Pour into clean, unused bottles with caps or decorative corked bottles. Store the bottles in the pantry, but put one bottle at a time in the freezer until ready to use.

Makes approximately 3 litres.

[smallblueplanet]

Thanks piggie, I'm not fond of vodka so it may be one for when we get some French 'alcohol' - what does 190 proof equate to?

[pigletwillie]

Any thats 40 -50% is ok.

[ChrisB]

Hi PW

Do you not use any of the juice from the lemons?

I'm just making sure I've read the recipe correctly, before I start

Thanks

[pigletwillie]

It just says the zest but I also added the juice and it has turned out just grand.

[Kirsty]

Thanks for the recipes - I developed a taste for this when I was in Italy recently, so will have to have a go at making my own!

[sallym]

After reading your rose vodka recipe I thought I would give you all my fantastic Lemoncello recipe All you need is 8 lemons(unwaxed) 8 ounces caster sugar and a bottle of supermarkets own brand vodka. Zest and juice all the lemons, in a saucepan add about an 8th of the vodka and the sugar slowly warm until the sugar has disolved. take of the heat add the juice and zest and the rest of the vodka, let it go cold then sieve back into vodka bottle (should make about 1 and a half bottles) put in the freezer for a couple of hours and voila drink. be very careful as 4 of us managed to drink a bottle in less than half an hour OH the pain!!!

Just had my first of many tastes.....Absolutely wonderful. Thankyou, this is going to be a big hit on hot summer days

[Winged one]

Can I ask a silly question about PW's pukka version - when you say put it in a demijohn and bung it - are you talking about a solid bung or a winemaker's bung with the liquid to allow gases out? (My dad used to make wines, so I reckon I can filch a DJ, but he wouldn't want to see any of his collection disappearing even though they haven't been used in quite a few years, so can't ask aloud, and also can't ask in OH's presence or he'll be unhappy at "MORE CLUTTER" coming into the house!!).

[Winged one]

Just to echo SallyM - made it at the weekend and oooerrrr missus!!! Even OH liked it and he wouldn't be a drinker of that kinda thing at all!! Sunny summer's evenings is right!

Oh, and I had very big lemons I think, cos I needed an extra 250ml bottle which I very nearly filled, after i had refilled the original 700ml bottle and another 700ml bottle.

Sorry, I meant to ask a quick question about that last bit - is it ok to leave the second large bottle in the drinks cabinet for a couple of weeks before freezing? I have the open bottle kept in the fridge until next use (or do I need to freeze it again before drinking?) - sorry, first time I've made homemade drinks before.

[bluemoon]

I really wish this thread would stop reappearing, because sooner or later I'm going to end up making it.....then I'll just have a little taste............

[pigletwillie]

Can I ask a silly question about PW's pukka version - when you say put it in a demijohn and bung it - are you talking about a solid bung or a winemaker's bung with the liquid to allow gases out?

A solid bung Winged one, it doesnt ferment at all. The 80 day jobbie is a quality shout We make a few batches through the year so we always have a bottle or two to hand.