Limoncello

I've made liqueurs and infused alcohols before. Sometimes they are busts. Like when I made triple sec- bitter!- or herb infused vodka- rotten! and sometimes they work out just fine (here & here). I read around the internet for a while before settling on this recipe to follow. There is a lot of info on making this. Some of it is extremely precise but the basics of lemon, time and sugar are the same.

Everything I read said that vodka wasn't as good as a grain alcohol. The higher alcohol content helps really suck the lemon flavor from the peels better than an 80 proof vodka would. I got Everclear. I also read that Meyer Lemons were preferable to normal lemons. Luckily it's Meyer Lemon season! 

You want to get the least pith possible because it changes the flavor. This peeler did a pretty good job and it was fast. I didn't choose to zest because this was cutting it. If your peeler goes too deep, it might be better to zest to control the pith.

All the pretty peels in a clean mason jar.

When making Limoncello, after everything is infused you add an equal amount of sugar syrup. It might not seem like I have a lot here, but I'm accounting for this doubling later. It helps to write the date you start this on the jar in sharpie. Then you can tell how long it has been infusing. Put it away in a cupboard and don't open it. For a few weeks.

 I left mine for 20 days. After 20 days the alcohol was very yellow, edging on orange!

I strained out the lemon peels. They were leached of color and sounded dry and crispy when I shook the jar. So cool!

Uhh is it just me or does this Limoncello look dehydrated? *wink wink*

I ended up with just about 16oz of infused alcohol. I made a simple syrup of 1 1/2 cups white sugar and 1 1/2 cups distilled water (didn't want to chance it with tap). I ended up adding all of it. I did a taste after 1 cup and it wasn't super mello. It lightened some when I added the sugar water, but it's no where near as light and airy looking as Giada's. I'm guessing that is because she uses vodka and infuses for only 4 days? Or maybe it's the lemons I used. Anyway, then we put a lid on and store it away from light and heat in a cupboard for another few weeks. 

Bottled! Wow this is alcoholic. The strong alcohol content might make some shy away, but the flavor really is great. I wonder if the peels could soak in the bare minimum of grain alcohol and then be topped with a lower proof vodka or just more water to dilute it. I don't mind the alcoholic component myself and think the flavor far wins out on the palate!