prep
10 minutes
cook
10 minutes
difficulty
Easy
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
10
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 6 organic lemons
- 700 ml bottle vodka
- 1 extra lemon, needed after 2 weeks when bottling the recipe
Makes 1.2 litres
Storing time 2 weeks
Instructions
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Using a mircoplane, zest the 6 lemons into a large jug. Juice the lemons and combine the juice with the zest.
Stir the sugar syrup into the zest and juice while the syrup is still warm but not hot. Add the bottle of vodka and stir well.
Using a funnel, decant the Limoncello into clean, glass bottles and store in a cool dark place for 2 weeks for the flavour to develop, give the bottle a shake every few days.
Just before bottling the Limoncello for gifts, cut strips of lemon zest from the extra lemon with a vegetable peeler and finally julienne them. Blanch in boiling water and place into the base of clean bottles. Strain the Limoncello to remove the grated zest and pour into the bottle and seal.
Label the Limoncello with a tag suggesting it is served straight from the freezer.
Photography by Petrina Tinslay, styling by David Morgan and art direction by Anne Marie Cummins.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.