Ice-cold thick limoncello is not something you crave for in mid-winter. It is however the perfect time to make it yourself! In winter good quality lemons are available everywhere. Just a few weeks ago, I finished the production of some five bottles and put on the radio. To my surprise a guy was explaining how to make Limoncello yourself. This made me decide to publish my recipe, also because I did not agree with the procedure that was followed on the radio.

The photo below shows two of the lemons on the "4 seasons" lemon tree we brought from Calabria to Leiden. Strangely, it seems to like its new habitat, it is flowering all the time (even now!) and produces tens of small lemons. To protect it a bit against the cold I wrapped it in a blanket. 

Ingredients (4 - 5 liter)

• 20 lemons (preferably organic, unwaxed)
• 1 liter alcohol (95%)
• 1.3 kg sugar
• 2,6 liter water

Tools

• potato peeler
• 5 liter glass container (the ones they use in pharmacies, you can also buy them at Kruidvat I believe
• 5 liter stainless steel pan

You should go for the best lemons you can find, preferably unwaxed and organic. If you lightly scrape the skin with your finger nail they should provide a fresh lemony perfume. If not, do not use them. I know, here in the Netherland it is quite hard to get hold of 95% alcohol. But, in Italy, in every supermarket you can buy it, and it is relatively cheap! So when you are in Italy on vacation, buy a liter and take it back home. Do be carefull with the stuff because it is highly flammable and toxic.

STEP 1 - preparation

Wash the lemons well and if necssary rub of the wax layer. Let them dry.
Peel of the yellow skin in very thin slices - take care not to include white parts, they are bitter.

STEP 2 - Maceration

Now we are ready to extract the oil from the lemon peel.
Put the lemon peels in a large glass container and add the alcohol. Make sure the lemon peels are covered by alcohol. Close the container and seal it so it becomes air-tight.
Put the container in a dark place at room temperature and wait... The waiting is important because you want to extract all the lemon oil from the peels. You wait for 2-3 months, longer does not hurt. The last time I prepared Limoncello I waited for 2 years, because I forgot all about it. Still, the end result was delicious.

STEP 3 - Filtering and adding the sugar sirup

Take out the lemon peels and throw them away. Probably they have become a bit brittle and less flexible by now because of the extraction of the oil.
Take a large stainless steel pan and add the water. Bring it to the boiling point, then turn off the heat and dissolve the sugar in the water.
Let the sugar sirup cool to room temperature.
Add the sugar sirup to the glass container with the (now yellow colored) alcohol and mix carefully.
Close the container and put it back to the dark place. Wait... for a minimum of one month. Do not be tempted to start drinking the Limencello right now, the different aroma's and perfumes have not yet developed optimally. Wait another month.

STEP 3 - Bottle

If you want you can now filter the Limoncello to get rid of some sediment that will have been deposited. I never do that, I don't mind it.
Use clean glass bottles to pour in the Limoncello, put in a cork and store them. Wait another day and then...

STEP 4 - Enjoy

Poor the Limoncello in small glasses, put them in the freezer for an hour or so and serve, after dinner or whenever you feel like it!