Hand-made limoncello
if you want limoncello ready by Christmas, you should probably grab lemons like… now
Sitting down for a 3-hour dinner? That’s kind of weird for most Americans. And topping it off with a digestif? Even weirder. But maybe (totally your call) it’s something we should steal from the Italians. And limoncello is the most famous digestif out there.
Thank god limoncello isn’t a PDO (protected designation of origin) like champagne, which can only be made in the Champagne region of France. Anyone anywhere can make a lemon liqueur and call it limoncello.
My buddy, chef Nikita Topik, has been making limoncello for a few years now. I was honestly shocked by how fast I got him to hand over the recipe.
Honestly, I think he’s being a bit dramatic. Also, if you want limoncello ready by Christmas, you should probably grab lemons like… now.
so for 1 liter of limoncello:
460 g lemons (thick-skinned so the zest holds more essential oils to dissolve in the alcohol)
310 g alcohol (96%, to reach a final strength of 30–32%)
190 g sugar (extra grade, for consistent color and sweetness)
310 g water (purified, bottled)
Submerge the lemons in hot water (55–60°C) with baking soda for 20 min. Scrub the peel with a brush. The baking soda kills fungi and preps the zest for further processing.
With a vegetable peeler, remove the zest carefully so the white part (albedo) contributes minimal bitterness.
Take a sealable, wide-mouth container. Add the zest and pour over the alcohol. Close the lid so the vapors don’t escape.
While the zest starts infusing, squeeze the lemon juice (juicer or fork for small batches). Strain to remove seeds. For a clear limoncello, filter the juice through paper, but it’s very time-consuming. I prefer the drink with some “body” — it speaks to its natural origins.
Add the juice to the zest and alcohol. Seal and place in a dark room to infuse for 2 weeks. Every 3 days, rotate the container so the zest mixes well and releases its goodness into the alcohol.
After 2 weeks, make the syrup: combine sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, remove from heat so the sugar fully dissolves. Cool to room temperature.
Remove the zest from the alcohol portion — it’s done its job (I make candied peel from it).
Mix the alcohol portion with the syrup, stir thoroughly and seal. Let it rest 2 weeks to “marry” alcohol and sugar into a unified flavor. Stir periodically.
After another 2 weeks, stir once more and pour into prepared, sterilized bottles.
