Great Italian Chefs

Step 1

Peel the zest from the lemons with a sharp peeler or small knife

Step 2

Remove any white pith from the lemon peel, as this will give the limoncello a bitter flavour

Step 3

Place the de-pithed lemon peel in a large clean jar and pour over the vodka, ensuring the peels are completely submerged. Seal and leave in a cool dark place to steep for 10–14 days

Step 4

Strain the vodka through a muslin cloth and discard the peel. The liquid will have turned a nice bright yellow

Step 5

Make a sugar syrup by boiling 500ml water with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved

Step 6

Take off the heat and add the remaining 500ml of cold water to cool the mixture down

Step 7

Once completely cooled, add the sugar syrup to the yellow vodka

Step 8

Transfer the limoncello to sterilized bottles

Step 9

Store in the fridge. The liqueur should last for up to a year, but discard if mould appears or if it tastes off