Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Home Made Lemon Extract

I actually made this out of desperation.

I had a recipe that called for Lemon Extract, but because I read it in a hurry, I totally skipped over the fact that it called for Lemon Extract, a whole 1/2 tsp. and didn't pick any up at the store, and I had already started making the recipe, and did not want to drive 7 miles to the store, again.
 
But...

I had some lemon zest in the freezer and a couple of lemons waiting to be sliced up for Ice Tea and there was this bottle of vodka in the cupboard and I went "AHA" and put them all together.

I now have some lovely Lemon Extract waiting to be used. 

Waiting...

But in the meantime, the quickie lemon extract I used in the Apple Cake actually worked very well.  There was a little lemony zesty thing going, and I'm quite pleased with myself.

Here's how I did it.

First off, last fall when I got a surfeit of Meyer Lemons, I made some 3 Citrus Marmalade, then I zested away madly, and finally juiced all the lemons I'd zested.  (Is that a word?, it is now).    I froze the zest because I could, thinking it would come in handy, sooner or later.  So when I needed some for the Lemon Extract I pulled it out and dumped it into the vodka.  And used a half teaspoon of the Lemon Extract right away in the Apple Cake.
I then peeled, very, very carefully, making sure not to get any of that nasty pith, the lemon I had sitting out.  I also zested a couple more lemons, and placed all of that peel and zest into a little glass jar and let it sit, in the cupboard, in the dark.  I do take it out and swirl it around once a day or so, but the magic has already begun.  I open up the jar and inhale this wondrous, lemony scent and I get inspired.  

If nothing else I can get a nice lemony whiff every day, but I'm thinking of recipes I can use it in.

I know I have some, somewhere...

Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

2 comments:

  1. OK - don't you love when "desperate" recipes turn into something like this? I think I'd wear this as perfume!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh goody, another use for it. LOL Have to admit, I'd never have even attempted making this if the recipe hadn't 'needed' the lemon extract. So glad I tried.

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