Liqueurs are a very tasty thing, but, unfortunately, expensive. On the biggest holidays you can pamper yourself, but at the sight of prices it still becomes sad. The good news is that you can make drinks yourself. For example, "Limoncello" at home on vodka is able to prepare even a person who is very far from the art of cooking.
Italian holiday of the soul
If anyone does not know, under the name Limoncello hides the world famous Italian lemon liquor with a very distinctive taste. Several Italian provinces are fighting for his authorship at once, including the island ones - Capri, Sicily and Ischia. All that is known is that the drink was "born" in the south of the country and gradually acquired national status.
From other liquors, the Italian heritage is distinguished by three features. Firstly, it is equal to strong drinks, since it has a 40 percent degree. Other "classmates" are usually much easier. Secondly, of all alcoholic beverages, Limoncello can be called the most useful: the huge amount of vitamin C, which was transferred to it from citrus, increases weakened immunity and helps the body safely resist colds. True, do not forget that Limoncello is still alcohol. However, if you take it daily in an epidemic during the epidemic period, the chance of getting sick is significantly reduced. And thirdly, “Limoncello” (Italian liquor) at home is done without any difficulties. It does not require any special aging conditions, or exotic ingredients - lemons, sugar, vodka and patience.
Quick recipe
There are several ways to make Limoncello at home. Least of all hassle for the winemaker is the express method. Take an average bottle of good vodka (750 ml), a glass of water, six lemons and two-thirds of a faceted glass of sugar (about 150 grams). Lemons directly with the skin are rotated through a meat grinder (only the bones need to be removed). Syrup is made from water and sugar. Without waiting for it to cool, lemon puree is added, and after mixing, vodka is poured into the mixture.
The recipe has certain disadvantages.
- "Limoncello", prepared in this way, almost instantly crystallizes in the freezer.
- Liquor has a bitter taste.
- He must insist for a whole month, so that he will be ready at about the same time as he was posed by a more patient person.
So if you want to cook "Limoncello" at home quickly, it is better to use the recipe described below, only take alcohol instead of vodka. When using it, the infusion time is halved.
The correct recipe for "Limoncello" at home from vodka: the first stage
It will take several approaches to make Italian liquor. But the taste will be authentic and soft, and the drink - not complicated by any difficulties.
The first thing washed and scalded (in case of wax treatment) lemons are dried and get rid of the zest. It must be removed not with a grater, but with a sharp knife, but so as not to cut off the white layer. It is precisely this that gives the drink bitterness. If you accidentally cut it off, carefully scrape it away from the yellow crust.
Further, the preparation of “Limoncello” from vodka at home consists in folding the zest in a clean jar, pouring it in vodka and sealing it - the lid should be tightly ground. An approximate calculation of the components is half a glass of zest per half liter of vodka. You need to insist liquor in a dark place, at least a week. In general, the longer you tolerate, the more aromatic your liquor will turn out. Every day, the container should be shaken well to mix lemon peels.
Second stage: syrup
When you find that “Limoncello” at home on the vodka infused enough, you can take the next step. Strong syrup is made: water should be only a quarter more than the volume of sugar (for example, 650 ml of liquid per pound of granular). However, if you are not a big fan of sweets, the ratio of products can vary. When the sugar has completely dissolved, the syrup cools to ambient temperature. Semi-finished product "Limoncello" is filtered through a very thick sieve or several layers of gauze. The crusts are also squeezed into a new container. Tincture is poured to syrup, the components are mixed.
Finish stage
When the separation of liquids is no longer observed in the connecting vessel, the almost finished “Limoncello” at home on vodka is poured through the funnel into bottles (preferably beautiful), which should be tightly sealed. The liquor goes to the same place to insist for another five days. If you like sweeter drinks, you can increase the aging time; if not, immediately after the end of the allotted period, put the liquor in the refrigerator.
Cream liqueur
This version of “Limoncello” on vodka at home will especially appeal to the ladies. The liquor is much softer, with a delicate creamy aftertaste, however, very sweet. The beginning of its preparation is similar: with 7-8 lemons, the zest is carefully cut and poured with vodka in the amount of 700 milliliters. The vessel is clogged and kept in heat and darkness for about two weeks (of course, it can take longer). But the second stage has cardinal differences. As a liquid base for syrup, combine half a liter of fresh milk and a similar amount of fat cream. The mixture on the slowest flame is brought to a boil, the pan is removed from the burner, and a kilogram of sugar is poured into it. You can flavor syrup with a pinch of vanillin. When the sugar has melted completely, the mixture is poured into a strained tincture, mixed and poured into prepared bottles. Further weekly infusion, as well as subsequent storage, is carried out in the refrigerator.
Some tips
If this is your first time making Limoncello at home on vodka, pay attention to some nuances.
- It is better to take vodka not just high-quality, but also stronger than usual, 50-degree. Given that during the preparation and brewing, the alcohol will evaporate somewhat, at the exit you will get the required strength of 40 degrees. Avoid vodka variations with additives.
- Lemons are better to take Spanish, thick-skinned. You can remove more zest from them, and it will be much easier to do this.
And do not forget to attach pieces of paper with indicated spill dates to the containers. Otherwise, it will be difficult to calculate how much you stand your liquor (or its semi-finished product).
Drinking culture
"Limoncello" - both factory-made and self-made - requires a special attitude. Drink it should be extremely cold, and cooling should be maximum, but not lead to freezing. Therefore, liquor is usually stored in the refrigerator, and before use it is placed in the freezer for half an hour. Moreover, the glasses into which it will be poured must also be cold. It is important here to carefully wipe the wine glasses before placing them in the cold, so that frost donkey does not form on them and an ice crust does not form.
It is recommended to drink “Limoncello” in small sips, with gaps between them and holding the drink in the mouth before swallowing - this way it reveals the aroma and taste more fully. When the liquor is swallowed, it should be exhaled through the nose in order to feel an indescribable aftertaste.
Limoncello is drunk only before the glass is warming; in order not to miss this moment, you need to pour a drink a little bit. Some keep ice in glasses to keep the temperature low . Italians believe that this is an abuse of liquor. It is up to you to agree with them.
Limoncello Cocktails
Both the “root” drink and the homemade “Limoncello” on vodka are very good in combination with other components. Italian lemon cocktails are varied and enjoyable. The most famous are those.
- “48 drops.” In equal volumes of 30 ml, Limoncello, sherry and vodka are poured into an ice shaker. After whipping, the cocktail is filtered into a glass and served with a twist of orange zest.
“Frosty noon.” 50 ml of good vodka, 30 - homemade liquor and a few mint leaves are loaded in the neck. Shake, pour, decorate with a slice of lime - and on a hot afternoon we feel a pleasant coolness.
- "Sparkling Limoncello." 30 ml of lemon liquor and 20 - orange, plus ice are mixed with a shaker. A mixture of liquors is poured into a glass, supplemented with champagne (30 ml) and decorated with lemon peel.
“The Mandarin Dawn.” It combines 30 ml of “Limoncello”, 20 ml of any white liquor (you can either sweet or dry) and 50 ml of only squeezed tangerine juice. Shaking the shaker requires more energy so that all the components mix well. A drink is served in cocktail glasses.
- "Italian sunrise." It combined the two pride of the Italians - “Limoncello”, which you need to take 10 ml, and “Campari” in a volume of 20 ml. They are supplemented with a small stack of vodka (35 ml), orange juice and lemon syrup (20 ml each). All this is shaken in an ice shaker and garnished with lemon peel.
The very ironic name - “Elevation” - has almost the strongest cocktail, for which 40 ml of chachi and “Limoncello” are poured into a whiskey glass. You need to drink carefully - the strength of a cocktail is only slightly inferior to ordinary vodka, although it tastes much nicer and is easier to drink.
As you can see, insisting “Limoncello” at home on vodka makes sense not only to lovers of liquors. The drink will beautify and make any party fun.