Limoncello

Limoncello - what is it?

The wonderful Italian lemon liqueur Limoncello is loved by many, and that is completely understandable! If you have traveled in Southern Italy, you have certainly come across this wonderful drink!

It's fresh, sweet, tart and refreshing, and it can be served for most things all year round! You can even easily make Limoncello yourself, but it is also easy to find in most stores and online webshops.

Limoncello is typically served as a digestif after the meal, but you can also serve it with desserts and the like, for example it goes well with a portion of delicious Italian tiramisu!

You can also choose to use it in drinks, as an ingredient in desserts and cake, together with ice cream or as a long drink that can be sipped over a longer period of time, for example on the terrace for the summer's beautiful sunsets. It's great for guests, larger festive occasions or just to add a touch of Mediterranean flair to an ordinary weekday evening at home. Salute!

Limoncello comes from Southern Italy, more specifically the areas around the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia. Especially the city of Sorrento in Naples is known for their wonderful Limoncello!

This wonderful lemon liqueur is something that most Italians have their own family recipe for, and almost always have at least a few bottles left! The basic ingredients are generally the same, but there can be large variations in quantity, storage time, etc.

How is Limoncello made?

Limoncello is made from 4 ingredients, which are strong, taste-neutral alcohol, lemon peel, sugar and water. The lemon peel must soak for 2 weeks in as strong an alcohol as possible, so that the aroma, oils and flavors can penetrate the alcohol. The Italians like to use an alcohol of 95%, but it is not always easy for the average consumer to get hold of this strength of alcohol. Therefore, you can use an ordinary bottle of vodka with just as much success! The only thing that changes is that the Italian sugar syrup contains more water than you should use. Finally, a bottle of Limoncello typically ends up at around 30% alcohol.

After the lemon has dried, a sugar syrup is made from sugar and water, which is boiled until all the sugar has dissolved, and you have a delicious sweet syrup. Then mix it all together and refrigerate. After a week, you can serve your very own, ice-cold beautiful limoncello! The longer it dries, the softer and better tasting it becomes. And your homemade limoncello can last up to 2 years, but we guarantee you'll have drained it long before that!

There are, as I said, a sea of ​​recipes, but one of the bids is the peel of 10 organic lemons, 1 l taste-neutral vodka, 6 dl water and 4 dl sugar. If you are not into the completely sweet limoncello, you can also choose to replace some of the water with a little lemon juice. Try your hand and find your very own secret recipe, just like the Italians!

How to drink Limoncello?

This wonderful liqueur is ready to drink just as it is, of course ice cold and preferably in chilled small glasses! But you can also choose to use it in drinks, a few examples of this could be:

 

Tangerine Dawn:

• 2 cl white Vermouth
• 3cl Limoncello
• 5 cl mandarin juice

The ingredients are mixed in a shaker and served in a lowball glass or other cocktail glass, well filled with ice. Decorate with a slice of lemon, a strip of tangerine peel or a small edible summer flower!

Limoncello Spritz:

• 10 cl Prosseco (or other sparkling wine)
• 3cl Limoncello
• 3 cl of tonic

Serve in a red wine glass or other tall glass with ice, start by adding the Prosecco and then the following ingredients, directly in the glass you want to serve in. Finish with a lemon slice on the rim, and enjoy!

Cremoncello:

• 3cl Limoncello
• 3 cl cold cream

This lovely, smooth drink is extremely easy to make! Simply add the two ingredients in a low glass with ice and enjoy the wonderful dessert-like drink after a good meal. Salute!

Limoncello Gin Fizz:

• 4cl Gin
• 2 cl Limocello
• 10 cl tonic

A large glass is filled with ice and the alcohol is poured in first. Finally, tonic is added and the drink is gently stirred with a long spoon. Add a slice of lemon and enjoy the taste of beautiful, tangy gin and tonic, perfect for all summer gatherings!

What else can you use your beautiful Limoncello for?

Limoncello is, due to its wonderful sweet and sour taste, perfect for desserts!

There are many recipes with this wonderful Italian lemon liqueur, but a few suggestions could be:

Ice cream with Limoncello

Another classic way to use Limocello is as a dessert with a good ice cream!

Simply find your favorite dessert bowls, arrange a few scoops of good vanilla ice cream in each bowl and finish with a splash of beautiful limoncello! This dessert is both fresh, creamy, sweet and sour! Most people can join here, from grandmothers to young adults. Bon appetite!

Limoncello cheesecake

Limoncello is perfect for cheesecake! The sour sweetness compliments the cream cheese superbly, and there are countless recipes on the web that celebrate this combination!

Try making the base of, for example, busses, which are mixed together with butter and a little sugar, as well as a pinch of salt. This crunchy, sweet base with a touch of cinnamon makes this cheesecake great for fall and the colder months when other cheesecakes can be more light and summery.

Limoncello tiramisu

The much-loved Italian Tiramisu, now in a delicious, new and fresh guise! Here, coffee and cognac have been replaced by the wonderful Limoncello liqueur. Otherwise, the recipe is exactly the same!

The cake turns a nice yellow, and the fresh citrus flavor goes perfectly with Mascarpone. This version of Tiramisu is perfect for the hot summer days when the sweet tooth demands something fresh, light and sweet!

As you may be able to sense, Limoncello is a bit of a must have! If you don't have the courage to make your own homemade bottle of lemon liqueur, you will of course find a few different varieties on our website!

Try, for example, the classic Limoncello from Villa Massa , the exclusive Limoncello from Le Pont or perhaps a Greek version from the wonderful brand Mediterrane ?

All in all, Limoncello is a wonderful acquaintance you won't regret!

Greetings from Elena's!