Lemons - part 2

So yesterday I posted about the stack of lemons I was lucky enough to receive. When in doubt, make a cake and that's exactly what I did.

But what to do with the rest of the lemons? Well to be completely honest, I had a plan for these lemons from the moment I got them. You see, their destiny was to meet the bottle of vodka sitting patiently at the back of my cuboard. And their inevitable introduction was to be cemented by the addition of a sugar syrup. Then they'll be left alone for 9-12 months to really get to know each other and mellow with time.

And with that I made the beginnings of limoncello, a wonderful Italian drink made from the gorgeous lemons in the Amalfi region. Several years ago, I was introduced to home made limoncello by an Italian family friend. I had never tried it before and the taste of the sweet, smooth and aromatic drink won me over forever.

So it is that each year I make a batch of limoncello to be consumed the following year. My tip is to always use the freshest lemons which must be unwaxed. Patience is required with limoncello. While lemons, alcohol and sugar are the three key ingredients, time is the fourth. Time will allow the flavours to develop and turn what can be quite a harsh tasting drink to start with, into syrupy, lemony, mellowed goodness.

Limoncello is great with desserts, poured over vanilla ice cream or just with coffee after a meal. I've also given it away as gifts by pouring into small bottles and accompanying it with some home made biscotti.

While there are many different ways to make limoncello (and I've tried a few), this is how I like to make it.

Limoncello

Ingredients:
7 unwaxed lemons
700 ml vodka
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups water

1. Make the sugar syrup by combining the sugar and water in a pan over medium heat. Allow to come to a simmer. Simmer on low for about 5 minutes until the sugar has fully dissolved and the syrup has thickened. Allow to cool completely.
2. Peel the lemons using a vegetable peeler. Use a light action so as to avoid getting too much pith as it’s the zest that is required for the flavour.
3. Place the lemon peels into a 2L glass jug or bowl. Add the vodka and stir well.
4. Once the sugar syrup has cooled, add it to the vodka and lemon mixture. Stir well.
5. Cover the jug or bowl with several layers of plastic wrap to seal well. Place the jug in a dark, cool place like back of a cupboard.
6. This mixture will need to sit for about 7-8 weeks. Stir the mixture every week or so ensuring it is sealed well and returned to its cool, dark location. During this time, the flavour from the lemons will be extracted and the lemon peels will turn soft.
7. After this time, strain the limoncello several times to remove the lemon peels and any impurities.
8. Pour into a glass bottle and seal well. Allow the limoncello to mellow for at least 6 months, but 9-12 is better.

When life (or a neighbour) gives you lemons...

I was given a bag full of lemons recently from my mother in law's neighbour, whose tree was overgrown with fruit. Let me tell you these lemons smell simply devine and their flavour is a good balance of sweet and sour. Also, because they are unwaxed and not sprayed with any pesticides, their zest is perfect for use in cooking.

With a bowl full of lemons ending up on my kitchen bench, I started to wonder about what deliciousness awaited them. So I dragged out the sugar, butter and eggs and set out to bake a simple lemon cake. I couldn't help taking a photo either...the image of these three ingredients together says that all will be right and that good things are in store.

I used the lemon zest and juice in both the cake batter and the icing as well. I like a strong lemony flavour but if you don't, I recommend cutting back on the zest in the icing.

I threw the cake in the oven and went to do a few little outside jobs. When I returned to the house, there was the most wonderful cake and lemony scent permeating from the kitchen.

I ended up taking this cake over to my mother's house where it was devoured for afternoon tea. And so beyond the lemons themselves, I love the fact that someone had too many lemons and decided to share them. Someone then turned those lemons into a cake. That cake was enjoyed by many smiling faces and the sugar, butter and eggs really were telling the truth...all was right and good things were in store indeed.

But this wasn't the end of the lemons. There are only so many you can use in a cake. Tune in tomorrow when I'll share another recipe that explains what became of all the lemons.

Zesty Lemon Cake:

Ingredients:
1 lemon, juice and zest
125gm butter, softened
1 ½ cups self raising flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup milk

Lemon Icing:
1 ½ cups pure icing sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of half lemon

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320 F). Prepare a 20cm round spring form cake tin.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until smooth and pale.
3. Add eggs one at a time.
4. Add flour, milk, lemon juice and zest and mix well.
5. Bake cake for about 40 minutes or until cooked. Check with a wooden skewer. If there is no cake batter on the skewer when inserted in the middle of the cake then it is cooked.
6. Make the lemon icing by mixing the sugar, juice and zest together to make a smooth but not too runny icing.
7. Allow the cake to cool completely before icing. As this is a sugar icing, allow about 20 minutes for the icing to set.