Limoncello Squares

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted
    butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons limoncello - store bought or
    homemade (or 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Glaze:
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons limoncello - store bought or homemade (o
     2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Stir in flour, zest, limoncello and salt until a dough forms. Pat dough into an 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle the top with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until it just begins to brown. Remove from oven. Cool completely.

To make glaze: Mix confectioners' sugar and limoncello together. Drizzle over top. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Makes 16 squares.

Limoncello:
15 thick-skinned lemons
2 (750 milliliter) bottles vodka
4 cups granulated sugar
5 cups water

Remove the lemon rind with a vegetable peeler, then remove all white pith on the back of the peel by scraping with a knife. Place rind in a large jar. Add one bottle of vodka and stir. Seal jar and store the vodka in a dark cabinet for 40 days at room temperature.

After 40 days, boil the sugar and water together 5 minutes to form a simple syrup. Cool to room temperature and add it to the lemon-vodka mixture, along with the second bottle of vodka; mix well. Cover and store 40 more days.

After day 80, remove Limoncello from the cabinet, strain it and discard the lemon peel. Pour into clean bottles and chill in the freezer (it won't freeze). Makes 2 bottles.