How to Make Limoncello 

Homemade Limoncello recipe, the true original and classic recipe of homemade Limoncello, only in a quick and very simple version. I assure you that it is the best Limoncello I have ever tried, fragrant and sweet at the right point, you will fall in love with it! By now we all know the recipe for Limoncello, the famous lemon liqueur, typical of the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento and Amalfi), but widespread throughout southern Italy, indeed throughout Italy! Perfect to be drank cold as a natural lemon digestive after dinner or as a gift at Christmas or Easter. The preparation of limoncello is really easy and within everyone's reach. The genius of this recipe is that you can prepare a homemade Limoncello in only 3 days, but also 2 days, without waiting times that are sometimes around 30-40 days.

It was my dear friend Eros who made me taste this homemade Limoncello and praised all its merits. And in fact, it's really extraordinary! The original recipe is by Dario Bressanini, a well-known chemist and science popularizer, who applies science to pastry (some time ago I also read the book) and has studied the entire process of Limoncello, the maceration and absorption of the essential oils of the lemon, from which the lemon liqueur is born. With this homemade Limoncello recipe you will get a perfect Limoncello to perfection, as per the original recipe, fragrant and enveloping, in a very short time, but with the classic ingredients of Limoncello: lemon zest, alcohol, water and sugar. Try it, it's wonderful! Here is the recipe for homemade Limoncello.

Ingredients

80 g (approx. 4 lemons) Untreated lemon zest

200 g Pure alcohol 95°

240 g Water

160 g Sugar

Preparation

To prepare homemade limoncello you will have to macerate the lemon peels in alcohol and then add the water and sugar. I've given you the summary! As Bressanini explains, the maceration process is used to make the alcohol absorb the essential oils contained in the lemon peels. According to his study, after the first day, the primary substances have already been absorbed by the alcohol, and may be more than enough. The second and third days are used for the alcohol to absorb secondary substances as well. For this reason, the maceration lasts only 3 days and you will get a fragrant homemade Limoncello. The following days are useless, except to incorporate substances that we would not want, as well as a hint of bitterness. Taken from the Scientific Limoncello by Dario Bressanini (explained in a very simple way).

Take your untreated lemons. Sorrento or Amalfi lemons are perfect, but the ones you have available are also fine. Wash the lemons under water and puree them with a dish sponge (new), in order to remove all impurities or dirt. With a potato peeler, remove only the yellow part of the lemon peel. If you want to increase the doses of the Limoncello recipe, I tell you that from each lemon you get more or less 20 g of lemon zest. Take an airtight jar (sauces are also fine) and add the lemon zest and pure alcohol. The alcohol for liqueur is pure food alcohol at 95° or 96°. If you can't find it, you can use other high-proof liqueurs, such as vodka. Close the jar and line it with foil, so that the maceration takes place "in the dark" since some substances are photosensitive (sensitive to light). Leave your jar there for 3 days. If you're in a hurry, you can also make homemade Limoncello in just 2 days. After the time has elapsed, filter the alcohol and remove the lemon zest. Add the sugar and water and stir for a few minutes, so that the sugar dissolves. Bressanini says that you don't need to make sugar syrup, except when you have a lot to prepare. In that case, just heat the water with the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved and then just add the syrup to the alcohol. Finally, transfer the Limoncello into a bottle with a cap or into the bottle you have chosen to give your lemon liqueur as a gift. The recipe for homemade Limoncello is finished! And in front of you you have your delicious Limoncello, ready to enjoy. It can be consumed immediately, although after 1 week it tastes better, as the flavors balance out and become more harmonious.

Homemade limoncello: storage

Limoncello can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Thanks to alcohol and sugars, it keeps for a very long time and does not freeze in the freezer. It is a perfect gift for Christmas or birthdays (especially as a gift to dad or grandpa, to whom you never know what to give).

Note

Have you seen how fast this Limoncello recipe is? I really recommend it! Then if you want it so alcoholic, add only 200 ml of water (instead of 240 ml) and if you want it less sweet, add only 100 g of sugar (you can put between 100 and 200 g of sugar, I chose a sweet dosage, but not too much). Of course, you can experiment and find your perfect dosage. I have indicated the doses of a limoncello that is not extremely alcoholic and sweet the right amount. The Limoncello with this recipe is rather opaque, but it is a value, because it indicates that the alcohol has assimilated many aromatic molecules from the skins. It is a guarantee of quality, the same goes for extra virgin olive oil (the Limoncello bought tends to be clearer).