Home made Limoncello

[oneoffour]

Anyone else making their own? This is great but you have to have it carefully. It is easy to over do it!

 

[medtran49]

I think there might be some other recipes on here as well, but here is ours
https://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f121/limoncello-another-recipe-69958.html

 

[GotGarlic]

I made some last year, with Meyer lemons and honey from our hives. It's delicious [emoji39]

 

[Andy M.]

SO makes it mostly in the summer. 9-10 lemon peels and a quart of Everclear to steep for three weeks then combine it with simple syrup and age it another week.

 

[oneoffour]

Yes I use 10 organic lemons. I don't boil the filtered water for the simple syrup. I use an immersion blender instead. The cavitation introduces more air to the liquid (like shaking a cocktail). Boiling the water makes it go flat and you have to wait for it to cool before mixing. It taste better to me when the water isn't flat.

 

[CharlieD]

Yes I use 10 organic lemons. I don't boil the filtered water for the simple syrup. I use an immersion blender instead. The cavitation introduces more air to the liquid (like shaking a cocktail). Boiling the water makes it go flat and you have to wait for it to cool before mixing. It taste better to me when the water isn't flat.

Would you please post detailed recipe if possible.

 

[medtran49]

The boiled syrup is re-aired when poured and mixed into the alcohol/zest mixture. There is no "flat" taste.

Big deal that you have to wait for the syrup to cool, you've already waited several days for the zest/alcohol mixture to do its thing. A few hours is nothing.

Cooking the syrup for a while helps even more to keep it from freezing solid, besides the alcohol.

 

[oneoffour]

Stirring or pouring don't do the same amount of aeration thats why they shake cocktails.It does not matter in what way the sugar is dissolved in the water as once it is a syrup be it by heat or blending each results in the same sugar concentration so there is no thermodynamic difference. With no difference either syrup solution will freeze at the same temperature. Solutions are not suspensions so the sugar never settles out to the bottom after sitting. Have made lime basil sorbets and they freeze easily and stay frozen in the freezer but have no alcohol. Given that then any antifreeze effect of sugar in minor.

 

[oneoffour]

Would you please post detailed recipe if possible.

Ten organic lemons, 1(750ml) bottle Everclear, 3 1/2 cups water, 2 1/2 cups sugar. Zest lemons ( I use a sharp vegetable peeler). Combine lemon zest and Everclear in a large sealable container. Let steep in a cool dry place ( i let it go 4 weeks) but some do as little as 4 days. When it is infused to your liking make the simple syrup with the sugar and water. Strain the zest from the infusion and blend the infusion with the simple syrup. I bottle it as in the picture and leave them in the freezer until I am ready to serve. I save the lemon juice and pour it in ice cube trays. Put the cubes in a zip lock a bag and keep that in the freezer. Use the lemon cubes to chill Sangrias or for recipes.

 

[medtran49]

Stirring or pouring don't do the same amount of aeration thats why they shake cocktails.It does not matter in what way the sugar is dissolved in the water as once it is a syrup be it by heat or blending each results in the same sugar concentration so there is no thermodynamic difference. With no difference either syrup solution will freeze at the same temperature. Solutions are not suspensions so the sugar never settles out to the bottom after sitting. Have made lime basil sorbets and they freeze easily and stay frozen in the freezer but have no alcohol. Given that then any antifreeze effect of sugar in minor.

Boiling it at a hard boil for several minutes reduces the amount of water due to evaporation, thus, making the sugar syrup more concentrated, thus keeping it more viscous when frozen. The syrup gets hotter the longer you boil it and consistency becomes thicker, you know thread, soft ball, hard ball, etc like when making candy? Same thing.

I know the difference between letting it boil for several minutes versus just heating enough to dissolve the sugar. We've made hundreds of bottles over the years and have refined the recipe while doing so. We buy cartons of lemons of around 30 pounds and a huge bag of sugar at a restaurant supply when we make a batch.

 

[oneoffour]

Wow That is a big batch! What tweeks have you done to refine it?

 

[Andy M.]

Ten organic lemons, 1(750ml) bottle Everclear, 3 1/2 cups water, 2 1/2 cups sugar. Zest lemons ( I use a sharp vegetable peeler). Combine lemon zest and Everclear in a large sealable container. Let steep in a cool dry place ( i let it go 4 weeks) but some do as little as 4 days. When it is infused to your liking make the simple syrup with the sugar and water. Strain the zest from the infusion and blend the infusion with the simple syrup. I bottle it as in the picture and leave them in the freezer until I am ready to serve. I save the lemon juice and pour it in ice cube trays. Put the cubes in a zip lock a bag and keep that in the freezer. Use the lemon cubes to chill Sangrias or for recipes.

This is essentially the recipe we use.

 

[oneoffour]

It is the one that tastes the most like what we had in southern Italy. They had another version that had cream in it. Tasted like a Creamsicle had melted which was too sweet to me.

 

[medtran49]

Wow That is a big batch! What tweeks have you done to refine it?

We changed to a microplane to avoid getting any pith at all. Sugar amount was adjusted to our liking. The boiling for several minutes, which was an accidental discovery.

 

[oneoffour]

We changed to a microplane to avoid getting any pith at all. Sugar amount was adjusted to our liking. The boiling for several minutes, which was an accidental discovery.

Got to love those grand accidents! How thick do you let the simple syrup get? Like olive oil or more towards maple syrup? Do you heave a guess as to what the final proof is on the limoncello?

 

[medtran49]

Maybe a bit thinner than olive oil. Haven't made any in a while. I just turn the burner to high and let it boil away for 3-4 minutes.

Not a clue on the proof, but it's got to be pretty high as it's easy to have too much.

 

[CharlieD]

Ten organic lemons, 1(750ml) bottle Everclear, 3 1/2 cups water, 2 1/2 cups sugar. Zest lemons ( I use a sharp vegetable peeler). Combine lemon zest and Everclear in a large sealable container. Let steep in a cool dry place ( i let it go 4 weeks) but some do as little as 4 days. When it is infused to your liking make the simple syrup with the sugar and water. Strain the zest from the infusion and blend the infusion with the simple syrup. I bottle it as in the picture and leave them in the freezer until I am ready to serve. I save the lemon juice and pour it in ice cube trays. Put the cubes in a zip lock a bag and keep that in the freezer. Use the lemon cubes to chill Sangrias or for recipes.

Thank you.

 

[oneoffour]

LOL I can't waste a drop but I wonder if ignites with a match!

 

[letscook]

Looks fantastic, I would love to try it, but alcohol and me don't get along
I have a wine cooler and I am ready for a nap. Hubbie says I'm a cheap date. I reply your a jerk and we chuckle. I have a Benadryl when have a cold I am out cold for at least 14 hrs. Oh well got carried away, TMI Just wanted to say it looks good a very refreshing.