Homemade limoncello AND crema di limoncello

I made two batches this year in time for holiday gifts, a classic limoncello and a crema di limoncello, and I finished them today. I couldn’t get a higher-proof spirit in my area, so both are made with standard 40% vodka. They still came out delicious.

Process:

Lemons: I scrubbed and washed 12 lemons. Peel: I took off only the yellow zest with a regular vegetable peeler and avoided the white pith, which turns bitter. Infusion: The peel went into Ketel One vodka (two 750 mL bottles). I started this on Aug 10th and let it sit until today. Syrup: I dissolved ~275g of sugar in 200mL of water, cooled it, and added it to 700ml of the infused vodka. Regular limoncello: This is the infused vodka plus syrup and nothing else. It’s clear and golden. Crema: This is the same infusion (700mL) with 475g sugar, plus 560 mL whole milk and 140 mL cream.

Both are in the freezer now. The regular one is for sipping straight from the freezer, and the crema is for serving ice cold with a gentle shake first. The plan is to bottle them into 12 × 200 mL gift bottles for Christmas, with homemade tags and dehydrated lemon slices.

Notes:

The regular limoncello is much more yellow in person than in these photos. The regular one may go a bit cloudy in the freezer as the lemon oils come out of solution. That’s normal. With 40% vodka, these are a little gentler than versions made with Everclear, but the lemon flavour is still strong.

Happy to answer questions about amounts or steps. Salute! 🍋