Limoncello (Lemoncello, Limoncella) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

12 lemons (thick skinned, meyers, Amalfi, Lisbon, Femminello St. Teresa..)
1 lime (thick skinned)
2 (750 ml) bottles 100 proof vodka, divided
2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar

Preparation

Remove yellow part of lemon peel either with micro-plane or sharp peeler. If any pith remains on the back of a strip of peel, scrape it off.
Place peels in a large jar with screw-top lid or sealed with clamps and cover with one bottle of vodka.
Leave mixture to mellow for 2 weeks in a dark place.
After mixture sets, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature (This is very important- if the sugar syrup is still warm the limoncello will result cloudy instead of limpid).
Using a coffee filter or fine sieve, strain the vodka from the peels and mix it with the remaining bottle of vodka and the syrup. Put the liqueur in bottles, seal tightly (cork or screw-top lid) and let the components marry, in a dark place, for at least 10 days before using.
For drinking straight, store the Limoncello in the freezer.