Citrus tipple makes great gift

DESPITE lockdown, the Christmas buzz is definitely starting! And as ‘Stir-up Sunday’ approaches (the final Sunday before Advent) I thought it perfect to begin sharing some classic Christmas recipes.

To start, here’s one of my all-time favourites, this liqueur takes time to mature (three to four weeks) so if you start it soon you will have a tasty liqueur in time to toast a Christmas cheer!

FOR SAFETY’S SAKE keep your mixture labelled as alcohol and keep well away from children at all times.

Ingredients:

6 unwaxed lemons 500g caster sugar 1 litre of vodka 200ml water

You will need one very large 2L or two 1L screw lid jars, together with a couple of attractive bottles for the completed product, all must be sterilized beforehand with boiling water.

Make sure the bottles are reasonably thick as the finished product should be served straight from the freezer.

Recipe:

With a paring tool, carefully remove two long spiral strands of lemon skin from one of the lemons (ensuring none of the white pith is also removed) and curl it into the jar(s), this will be retrieved later for decorative purposes.

Next, remove the remainder of the skin from all of the lemons with a vegetable peeler, take care not to include any of the bitter white pith. Squeeze the juice from all of the lemons, discarding any seeds, and set aside.

Put the lemon peel and caster sugar in a pan with 200ml of cold water, stir over a very low heat until the sugar has dissolved, add the lemon juice and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat to cool before stirring in the Vodka.

Pour this mixture into the large pre-sterilized jar(s) together with the spirals rinds. Screw the lids tightly once cooled down.

Keep the mixture in a cool place, but shake every few days.

After three-four weeks strain the lemon liqueur into a jug, then carefully pour into the prepared bottles, together with the spirals rinds. Decorate your bottles with customized labels, and if gifting as a Christmas present why not wrap in cellophane and ribbon. Enjoy!

For more of Lesley’s recipes go to: www.robertositalian.co.uk and Roberto’s: Facebook.com/ robertossouthport