There is nothing better than having a wonderful meal with family and friends and ending it with this rich, luscious Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria. Cheers!
A few years ago, my family and I were visiting beautiful Sorrento, located in the Campania region in Southern Italy. As we were wandering through the busy streets, we stumbled – literally stumbled – upon a lemon and orange grove smack in the city center (we also “stumbled” upon Pierce Brosnan, but that’s another story).
As we began our short stroll on this path, the sounds of the hustle and bustle of the streets of Sorrento, scooters and all, faded into a distant hum. Unexpectedly and instantly, the environment became peaceful and relaxing. We walked into a garden whose existence came into being over 200 years ago. This garden is called “I Giardini di Cataldo“.
At the end of this short journey, there was a stand, where one could purchase and sample homemade marmalade, ice creams, and different flavored liqueurs such as fennel, licorice, basil and of course, limoncello.
It has often been said that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade – except in the region of Sorrento where they make Limoncello. If you are not Italian or have never visited Sorrento, you might not be familiar with this Italian liqueur.
What is Limoncello?
- it is an Italian liquor, flavored with lemons;
- usually served as a digestif (after-dinner drink);
- stored in the freezer;
- is served ice cold in chilled shot glasses;
- relatively simple to make at home;
- a wonderful ingredient to use in Italian desserts.
If interested, you can read about the history of limoncello by following this link.
Are you ready to make this Italian Limoncello?
How to make Crema di Limoncello
Lemon peels, alcohol and a glass jar
This simple process begins by infusing grain alcohol with lemon peel.
Thoroughly wash, scrub and dry your lemons (preferably unblemished and unwaxed) before stripping them of their peel. Unfortunately, I do not have lemons growing in my backyard so I use organic lemons. Make sure you remove the pith (the white part) of the lemon, lest your limoncello is bitter.
Next, the lemon peels need to steep in alcohol. Use high grain alcohol and a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Mason jars are great as the tight seal provided by the screw tops will prevent evaporation of the alcohol. The infusion time can last anywhere from 6 to 40 days (or even longer) in a cool, dark place. A longer steeping period will result in a better-tasting and better-looking limoncello.
Swirl contents of the jar twice a day. You will notice that this process will strip the lemon peels of their color. When ready to proceed to the next step, strain the liquid with a cheesecloth in a clean bottle.
The simple syrup
Sugar is required to make the simple syrup which is in turn added to the infused alcohol. When you make the simple syrup with milk, you will obtain a creamy limoncello. The addition of a vanilla bean will enhance the final taste of this liquor.
Warm the simple syrup (the sugar, milk and vanilla bean) over medium-low heat and whisk together. Once the sugar has dissolved, strain the mixture with a cheesecloth in a large clean bottle. You might have to strain the solution a few times to get all the vanilla seeds.
The creamiest limoncello
It is very important to allow the sugar solution to cool down to room temperature before adding it to the lemon-infused alcohol. We do not want the limoncello to curdle.
The final step in this process is combining the lemon-infused alcohol with the creamy syrup.
The Limoncello can be refrigerated for up to 1 month or frozen for up to 6 months. If freezing, allow sufficient headspace of a few inches for the Limoncello to expand.
Ways to use limoncello
- as a base for cocktails
- drizzle over fresh fruit, ice cream, or even cake
- as an ingredient in baking or cooking.
Limoncello recipes
One of my favorite ways to use this Italian liqueur is in lemon desserts. Two of my favorite recipes are this limoncello cake and this ricotta cake. I also like to make this lemon loaf recipe with the leftover lemon juice and then drizzle with limoncello when serving.
Recipe origins
When a friend of mine, Vittoria, learned of my newfound appreciation of this lemon liqueur, she shared her recipe with me. Vittoria is originally from Petrella, in the province of Campobasso, in the Italian region of Molise and had been making limoncello all her adult life.
I compared different “recipes” for creamy limoncello and I came to the conclusion that once again, the best one is simply a question of taste and how sweet you want your limoncello to be. I have been making and serving this recipe for Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria for a few years and it is always appreciated by family and friends.
The only modification I made was to replace 2 tablespoons of clear vanilla extract with a vanilla bean.
This wonderfully refreshing creamy lemon liqueur can be enjoyed year-round. I like to make a batch just in time for gift-giving for Christmas. You can easily make a batch of Crema di Limoncello di Vittoria this weekend and it will be ready for you to bring in the New Year!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
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Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this Crema di Limoncello recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Crema di Limoncello
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Ingredients
- 4 lemons peel only
- 500 mL pure grain alcohol 94% or higher
- 1 Liter milk (Grand Pré 2% UHT milk)
- 600 grams granulated sugar scant 3 cups
- 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the lemons (preferably organic).
- With the use of a vegetable or potato peeler, remove lemon peel (avoid the white pith as this will make your limoncello bitter).
- Place lemon peel in a mason jar (or another container with a tight-fitting lid).
- Add alcohol, close tightly, and let steep for at least 6 days or up to 40 days in a cool dark place. Swirl contents of the jar twice a day.
- Remove lemon zest (should be a pale color- the alcohol on the other hand should be a bright yellow).
- Strain with a cheesecloth in a clean bottle.
- In a large saucepan, over medium-low heat, warm the milk, sugar and vanilla bean.
- Whisk frequently until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before adding to alcohol.
- Strain (with the help of a cheesecloth) in a decanter with alcohol.
- Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on December 20, 2014 and republished on November 16, 2017 with updated content and pictures.
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terry
I dont understand why yours is milky looking. When I make it, mine will be (more similar to) looking like apple cider….. but a prettier yellow.
Maria
Thanks for you interest Terry. I’m wondering if you include the milk? That is what gives it the creamy look.
Danielle
This is the closest match to the Original we bought in Italy! Easy to make and delicious. We candied the peels after straining and they were great too!
Fritz
I lived in Naples, Italy for 3 years when I was in the Navy and occasionally make limoncello at home because the store bought stuff just isn’t what I am used to. I followed this recipe exactly in terms of ratios (I made a slightly bigger batch). It is TERRIFIC! The addition of the vanilla bean is brilliant! Big thumbs up… use this recipe if you are making creamy limoncello!