Ciao a tutti!

Does anyone have a good recipe for Lemoncello?
I had the most delicious cream Lemoncello while visiting Carole B.this summer in Lake Como!
We bought a bottle here in NJ and it tasted...well,like something akin to Robatussin.
We put it in the freezer...still major nasty medicinal taste!!

Cristina, you gave me a good recipe a long time ago but I can't find it!!

Thanks!

I seem to remember Dora (?) posting a Lemoncello recipe on Expats a while back. I know what you mean about the stuff they sell here, medicine really tastes better!

Hi Gil!
Was it Dora too?
I can't remember and I can't find the posts!
I'll have to search a while...

Oh yeah--this stuff tasted like you could use it for engine fuel!!!

Home made Limoncello

You’ll need:
1 litre of water
1 litre of good spirit (95° if possible - suitable for food preparation)
500gr. Sugar
Peel of 8 -10 large lemons (6-7 if bought in Italy)

To prepare:
Carefully wash the lemons and peel them, leaving as little of the white pith attached to the yellow skin (the ‘valuable’ part) as possible.
Place the yellow peel in the alcohol to marinate for approx. 10 days.
After which, boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. Then add the spirit (the peel should be discarded).
Filter the liquid and bottle it. It must always be served well chilled, so put it into the freezer for a shoert time before serving it! Do the same with the 'shot glasses' so they are icy cold too...


N.B.I have never made the 'cream' limoncello, but if I did then I would try adding 'single' non sweetened cream before chilling. Keep the bottle in the fridge (if it ever happens that there is some left over!)

Here's a recipe I got for cream lemoncello from the local restaurant. It's yummy!

1/2 litre of Alcohol
3-4 natural lemons (untreated)
1 litre of whole milk
700 grams of sugar

Peel the lemons and put them to soak in the alcohol for 7-8 days in a cool, dark place. Heat the milk and add sugar, stirring until the sugar is melted. Allow to cool. Strain the alcohol and add to the milk mixture (discard peels).

Then you can either put it in the fridge or the freezer (it's best ice cold).

quote:

1/2 litre of Alcohol

Eth, meth or isoprop?

OH's Mum makes it and it melts plastic cups.

I've seen her make it - looks quite easy.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill 2:

quote:

1/2 litre of Alcohol

Eth, meth or isoprop?

95% food prep alcohol, of course. Or Everclear, as it's known in the States.

I'm getting married in June and I want to serve limoncello at the reception -- how early do you think I should make it? Does it keep for a long time?

Ooooh,thank you Carole and MB!!
Wonder if I'll still be standing after "taste-testing"?

Right Carole??

quote:

Originally posted by MB:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill 2:

quote:

1/2 litre of Alcohol

Eth, meth or isoprop?

95% food prep alcohol, of course. Or Everclear, as it's known in the States.

Graves alcohol is also available in the US.

quote:

Originally posted by ChiaraDB:
I'm getting married in June and I want to serve limoncello at the reception -- how early do you think I should make it? Does it keep for a long time?

It keeps for a while because of the alcohol. I'm assuming you're only going to serve it as an after dinner drink - one small glass per person. It packs quite a punch.

quote:

Originally posted by Carole B.:
Home made Limoncello

You’ll need:
1 litre of water
1 litre of good spirit (95° if possible - suitable for food preparation)
500gr. Sugar
Peel of 8 -10 large lemons (6-7 if bought in Italy)

So by adding 1 litre water to 1 litre 95* alcohol, do you end up with 2 litres of 47.5* hooch ?

The commercially-produced stuff is around 30*. Does that imply they cut their alcohol with 2 litres of water ?

And any particular reason you use only the lemon peel - and not the lemon flesh/juice as well ? (Or can you do that ?)

Sounds like a fine recipe - if drinking a thimbleful won't make me go blind, I'll definitely give it a try !

It's the flavour in the oil in the peel that you really need. Much more concentrated than juice or flesh. I suspect you'd also want to remove the white pith.

I'll have to push dora for her exact recipie. She does both regular and cream. I know she uses heavy whipping cream to make the cream one.

She uses 7 lemons to one bottle of everclear. Not sure about the sugar or water quantities. It really only takes about a week for the alcohol to absorb enough lemon flavor. Make sure you get only the outer skin and NONE of the white. That makes it bitter.

Recently she's been adding a touch of vanilla to the mix. It make it really really nice!

quote:

Originally posted by Jim in Baltimore (was Perugia):
I'll have to push dora for her exact recipie.

She's probably a little preoccupied at the moment!

quote:

Originally posted by MB:
It keeps for a while because of the alcohol. I'm assuming you're only going to serve it as an after dinner drink - one small glass per person. It packs quite a punch.

Yeah, that's the idea! Just wanted to have something more than wine and champagne, but something distinctly Italian at the same time.

Thank you DeeBee and Graeme!!


Jim,I would LOVE if you could get Dora's creme
recipe!

Ok gang, here are the recipes:

Cream version:

Peel 5 untreated lemons taking only the yellow part of the peel. Let the lemon peels soak in half a liter of everclear (alcohol) for 3 days. It’s better if they are fresh lemons. If they don’t have a lot of scent, leave them 7 days. After 3-7 days boil in a pan 1 liter of milk 750 gr of sugar and 250 gr, whipping cream, stir the mixture continuously, from the time it starts to boil count 30 minutes, stirring from time to time keeping the fire low. After half an hour pull the pan from the fire cover with a lid and let rest all night long. Next day pour the alcohol in the pan after filtering with a sifter. Add one tablespoon of vanilla and pour the mixture in glass bottles. Put the bottles in the freezer and enjoy very cold.

For the regular version:

Peel 7 untreated lemons taking only the yellow part of the peel. Let the lemon peels soak in 1 bottle (750ml) of everclear (alcohol) for 3 days min. It’s better if they are fresh lemons. If they don’t have a lot of scent, leave them 7 days. Boil in a pan the same quantity of water as alcohol (750 ml) p 500 gr. Sugar. Stir the mixture continuously until the sugar is dissolved. After it is dissolved, let it cool down. When it is room temp, mix the water/sugar mix with the alcohol (no peels, sift only the alcohol). Add one tablespoon of vanilla and pour the mixture in glass bottles. Put the bottles in the freezer and enjoy very cold.

Enjoy, and no driving after sipping this fire water!!!

One big Thank You to Dora & Jim!!!

OH Jim and Dora!!!

THANK YOU!!

I can't wait to make both!!

I'm especially looking foward to the creme!

Jim, please thank Dora for me!! THANK YOU!!

Since I have an orange tree, would I be able to make an ¨arancello¨ (or whatever it would be called) using the same general recipe. Would I have to adjust the quantities?

The same basic recipe works for most citrus fruit. You just end up with a different flavour.

Even kumquats?