crema di limoncello

crema di limoncello is an italian dessert drink made with lemon infused vodka, milk (and/or cream) and sugar. i first tried making my own  fruit liqueurs  last summer, and two bottles of crema di limoncello were consumed in no time. it is very rich and delicious by itself (and very strong!), but i usually mix it with tonic water, and it tastes heavenly refreshing. 

you can use any type of zester, but i like to use the zester with 5 holes AND a vegetable peeler together. i first use the 5-hole zester to make thin strips of lemon peel.

then use a vegetable peeler to get the remaining. you can get nice thin strips of lemon peel without cutting into the white pith this way.

i find it is more difficult to get nice thin peels using a vegetable peeler alone (i tend to cut too much into the white pith) and if using a grater zester, use an extra fine strainer or coffee filter.

steep lemon peels in vodka for 3-5 days.

now what do we do with these left over lemons?

i squeeze lemon juice and use it to make salad dressing or lemon custard tart. 10 lemons yield about 16 oz. of juice.

after 3-5 days, your vodka will turn nice bright yellow.

strain the vodka and remove the lemon strips.

milk : cream : sugar = 1 : 1 : 1 (by volume)

I prefer vanilla paste over extract. they are essentially the same thing, but you can see the vanilla seed specks in vanilla paste!

crema di limoncello

ingredients:
(1) liter vodka (approx. 4-1/4 cups)
(10) lemons
(4) cups milk
(4) cups cream
(4) cups sugar
(2) Tbsp vanilla paste or extract
* approx. vodka : milk : cream : sugar ratio = 1 : 1 : 1 : 1 (by volume)

direction:
1. scrub and wash lemons thoroughly under hot running water (to remove any wax coating).
2. using a zester and/or a vegetable peeler, peel (10) lemons - the yellow part only. the white pith gives the bitter taste you don't want.
3. in a large jar (with a tight lid), add the lemon peels and pour (1) liter vodka. close the lid tightly and steep for about 3-5 days in a cool dark place.
4. after 3-5 days, strain the liquid and discard the peels.
5. in a large pot, add (4) cups milk, (4) cups heavy cream and (4) cups sugar and slowly bring to a boil. stir constantly and dissolve sugar completely.
6. turn off the heat and add (2) Tbsp. vanilla paste or extract and let it cool.
7. mix the lemon infused vodka and the cooled milk+cream+sugar mixture.
8. pour into sterilized bottles and store in the freezer.

yield: (4) 750ml bottles