Ingredients
DOSAGE FOR 1 LITER
LEMON
5 untreated
PURE ALCOHOL AT 95°
500ml
CASCADE
500ml
SUGAR
450 g
Limoncello is a typical Campania liqueur, made from citrus peel, especially lemons from the Amalfi Coast, such as Sfusato Amalfitano or Ovale di Sorrento. A sweet liqueur, with a characteristic yellow color, whose alcohol content varies between 20% and 32% vol. and which is obtained by letting the lemon zest macerate in pure alcohol with the addition of a syrup based on water and sugar. Once prepared, it must remain in the bottle for at least 1 month before being tasted. Limoncello is an excellent digestive, in fact it is generally consumed after meals, but it can also be used to moisten or flavor desserts, fruit salads and ice creams. Homemade limoncello is really simple to prepare,

The history of limoncello is not entirely clear, its birth is in fact disputed between the inhabitants of Amalfi, Sorrento and Capri. The “Limoncello” brand was first registered in Capri, in 1988, by the entrepreneur Massimo Canale and many believe that the invention of this famous liqueur is linked to the Canale family: in fact, limoncello was born in early 20th century from a grandmother’s recipe. This liqueur was born as an exclusively artisanal preparation but, in the 1980s, it became so popular that it was produced on an industrial level. However, the homemade preparation remains the favorite of true limoncello lovers. But here’s how to prepare it

How to prepare limoncello

Step 1
Wash the lemons well with a metallic sponge, wipe them dry and peel them with a peeler or a knife
1
remove only the yellow part and leave the white and spongy part on the lemon, as this could give a bitter taste to the liqueur.

Step 2
Put the lemon zest in a glass jar with pure alcohol

Step 3
Close tightly with lid
3
and macerate in pure alcohol for 2 weeks or up to 1 month in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar daily to mix the ingredients well.

Step 4
Pour the sugar and water into the saucepan. Boil to dissolve the sugar
4
.

Step 5
Once you have the syrup, remove it from the heat, let it cool completely and strain the alcohol

Step 6
Mix well and pour the limoncello into a sterilized glass bottle

Step 7
Store in a cool, dark place for at least 30 days before consuming

Advice
To cut the lemon zest, preferably use knives or ceramic tools which allow to preserve all the active ingredients and the benefits of the essential oils contained in the zest.

During the maceration and storage phase, always keep the jars and bottles in a cool, dark place as the active ingredients are sensitive to light and heat and this could compromise the flavor of the limoncello.

For the preparation, use only pure quality alcohol, to prevent it from freezing once in the freezer and prefer Sorrento lemons or in any case organic and untreated lemons with thick and wrinkled skin.

You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar according to your taste.

If you like the taste of lemon, you can also prepare limoncello cream by adding pure alcohol, lemon zest and sugar to milk and cream. A fresh and creamy liqueur ideal at the end of a meal.

storage
Once ready, the limoncello can be kept for a long time in the refrigerator or in the freezer: the presence of alcohol and sugar will prevent it from freezing.