Ingredients:
- 17 large lemons, preferably organic
- Two 750-milliliter bottles grain alcohol
- 5 1/2 cups water
- 6 cups sugar
Wash and dry the lemons.
With a paring knife, remove the ends.
With a vegetable peeler, remove only the yellow rind, leaving the pith intact. (Squeeze juice from the lemons and reserve for another use.)
Place the lemon peel in a 4-quart Mason jar with a rubber-seal lid.
Add the grain alcohol, making sure the lemon peel is completely covered.
Store in a cool, dark place, shaking the jar once each day to agitate the lemon peel.
On the 13th day, bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan.
Add the sugar and remove from the heat, stirring until it is dissolved.
Cover and let cool to room temperature.
Place a colander on top of the saucepan and strain in the contents of the Mason jar.
Discard the lemon peel.
Stir to combine the liquids, about 1 minute.
Transfer back to the Mason jar.
Store for 3 weeks in a cool, dark place, shaking to agitate the liquid twice a day.
Serving:
After 3 weeks, transfer the limoncello to smaller bottles that can be sealed with rubber stoppers.
Store bottles in freezer.
Serve directly from the freezer.
Storing:
Those who are lucky enough to receive this homemade lemon liqueur should keep it in the freezer, where it turns a milky white after 8 to 9 hours. It can be sipped straight-up, mixed with tonic or dashed into champagne.
Nutritional facts: Per 1.5-ounce serving:
Calories 92
Protein 0 g
Carbohydrates 19 g
Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Saturated fat 0 g
Sodium 1 mg
Dietary fiber 1 g
