Limoncello is so zingy and delicious, but what about Lime Limoncello? I am huge fan of lime, and wanted to see how it would work in a limoncello. I made this lime limoncello in the SousVide Supreme, and I was thrilled with the results. I love liqueurs like limoncello, but have never dreamt of making my own, as I always believed it to be so tedious.  The SousVide Supreme makes infused spirits so quickly and with virtually no effort.  The benefit of the SousVide Supreme is that it can gently heat the alcohol to a very precise temperature, and allow the flavors to infuse in the zip-sealed cooking pouch. Now that I know it is so easy, I am very excited about all the possible flavor combinations I can make.  These infused spirits also make great home-made gifts, and summer is the perfect time to experiment.

Liqueurs, like limoncello, are expensive, but they can be made relatively cheaply with the SousVide Supreme. In the summer there is a glut of fruit, and it’s possible to get large nets of lemons and limes for a good price. Plus, you can use your own favorite alcohol-vodka or gin. The preparation of the lemon and lime zest is very important in making this lime limoncello. It’s key to remove every bit of the white pith from the zest. This is the most time consuming part of the recipe, but worth the effort. After that, you just pop the zest and alcohol into a sealed pouch and drop in the SousVide Supreme.  Once infused, simply strain and mix with the sugar syrup. I was so surprised at how simple it was.

I made a good batch of this lime limoncello, and I have found so many great uses for it.

• It is delicious drizzled on vanilla ice-cream.
• It can be made into frozen popsicles.
• It can be used in cocktails.
• It can be used as a zesty ingredient in a lemon cake/ cupcakes.

My favorite way to serve this lime limoncello is with some soda water and mint. It makes for a really refreshing summer drink.  The mint really brings out the flavor of the lime. This recipe is a real winner and I would highly recommend making it, if you have a SousVide Supreme.   Limoncello will last up to a year in a sealed bottle in a fridge / freezer.

Lime-Limoncello

Ingredients
* Makes 1 quart (960ml) of lime limoncello

• 2 large lemons (30g of zest with pith removed)
• 4 limes (20g of zest  with pith removed)
• 2 cups  (480ml) vodka

Sugar Syrup

• 2 cups (480 ml) of water
• ¾ cup (144g) of superfine sugar/ castor sugar

To serve

• Cubes of ice
• A few sprigs of mint
• Soda water
• Slices of lemon and lime

Directions

1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme to 135°F/57°C.
2. Remove the zest from the lemons and limes. I find a serrated tomato peeler does a really good job doing this. It takes a really fine peel of zest, which results in less work removing the pith. You could also use a vegetable peeler.  Then, you need to use a very sharp knife to remove every little bit of white pith from the zest.  It can be a tedious job, but it’s really important to remove the white pith as otherwise it will make your limoncello taste bitter.
3. Place a large (gallon/3.8 liter) zip-closure cooking pouch into a baggy rack. I find this gadget invaluable when I need to pour any liquid intoa bag. If you don’t have a baggy rack, you can always ask someone to hold the bag open while you pour in the contents.  Pour the vodka and the zest into the (gallon/3.8 liter) zip-closure cooking pouch, and use the displacement method (Archimedes’ principle) to remove the air and zip the seal closed. Once the bag is zipped closed, submerge the pouch in the preheated water bath and set the timer for 2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, you can make the sugar syrup. Place the sugar and the water into a large (gallon/3.8 liter) zip-closure cooking pouch, and use the displacement method (Archimedes’ principle) to remove the air and zip the seal closed. Once the bag is zipped closed, submerge the pouch in the water bath, alongside the lemons and vodka.  It will take 30 minutes for the sugar to dissolve. Remove the pouch and chill in a water bath (half ice/half water), for 10 to 20 minutes.
5. Once the vodka has been in the SousVide Supreme for two hours, remove the pouch and strain the vodka using a sieve into a large bowl or jug.  Discard the zest and stir the sugar syrup into the vodka. Place the finished lime limoncello into airtight bottles or jars and chill before serving.
6. Serve chilled with ice, slices of lemon and lime, a sprig of mint and some soda water. Enjoy!