How to make Lemon Extract at Home?
Uses of Lemon Extract
Lemon Extract is one of the ingredients I regularly use in cooking. Lemon extract can be purchased from a grocery shop or can be prepared at home. Lemon Extract is rich in Vitamin C and also have smaller quantities of vitamin B1, B2 and Niacin. Many people confuse lemon juice with extract. Though both are made from lemons, the difference lies in the parts of the lemon each utilizes. Lemon juice is made from the juice of the fruit while lemon extract is made with lemon peel or zest and vodka. A Lemon extract is much stronger than lemon juice. However products like lemon zest, lemon oil or lemon can serve as a substitute to lemon extract. Lemon extract is often used in cakes, cookies, muffins, frosting, pies, sauces and marinades.
Method to Prepare lemon extract at home
Chop the zest from one or two lemons and put it into a small, clean jar until the jar is ⅓ full. Avoid the white part of the lemon. Fill the jar with vodka, making sure that the zest is completely immersed. Seal it with a tight-fitting lid and keep store it in a cool dark place and shake once daily. After two weeks strain out the zest using cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
Though making lemon extract is not very difficult, I mostly prefer to buy it because of convenience instead of making at home.
Applications of Lemon Extract
- Lemon extract has a stronger lemon flavor and is used in cooking, especially recipes that require baking to give the essence of lemon without adding acid to the recipe.
- Widely used in beverages, food supplement and health products.
- Lemon Extract can be a substitute for lemon zest or lemon oil
- Lemon extract can be used when washing your china and other kitchen equipment. Its acidic content displaces dirt and kills germs easily.
- Used in medicine in treatment of intestinal disorders.
