Home Made Gifts......................................

It's been so long since my last post and things have been very hectic one way and another. However, when it's coming up to Christmas I like to try to make something that I can give as gifts, so being a lover of all things Italian I decided this year to try Limoncello.

 I like to bring back bottles of pure alcohol from my summer holiday to make Liquirizia a liquorice flavour liqueur, a particular favourite of my hubby, but decided to try making Limoncello for a change, this also is a favourite of his, I decided to adapt my recipe for Liquirizia.

I substituted the liquorice for the zest of 6 lemons plus the juice of two, this I put into a a demijohn and covered with a litre of alcohol, the top was sealed tightly and the jar put in a dark cupboard for two weeks, I did periodically take it out and agitate.  After a couple of weeks put 3kg of water into a pan and add 2 kg of sugar, heat on low until all the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is slightly syrupy, allow to cool, while waiting drain the alcohol from the lemon zest into a jug, mix this into the sugar syrup and stir, the Limoncello can now be poured onto bottles, I like to use muslin in my funnel so that no little bits get into the bottles.

There is no need to store, the Limoncello can be consumed immediately. All the recipients seem very pleased with their gifts.
Until next time .........................