If you’re anything like me, your first question is “what the heck is a posset?”
Well, the answer to that is actually pretty varied. A posset used to be a hot drink, made with curdled milk and alcohol with spices. That is very much not what I’m making today. That drink went extinct, and good riddance, I say.
In modern times, a posset is a cold, set dessert, sort of like a custard or mousse. Lemon posset is a lot like a lemon pudding, with a silky smooth texture, a cool and tangy flavor, and a firm, set form. Wikipedia says it’s “nearly indistinguishable from a syllabub”, as if that means anything.
So, there’s been a hell of a heat wave here recently, with temperatures in the mid-90s and heat indices in the 100+ range. It has been absolutely miserable, impossible to go outside in, and my air conditioning has struggled to even keep up, let alone cool the place. So there was no way in heck I was turning the oven on to bake something for the blog this week.
The lemon posset is a no-bake recipe, lightly cooked over the stove and chilled in the fridge to set. It takes a whopping three ingredients to make, and barely any time at all. In fact, a lot of the time for my recipe was spent hollowing out the lemon peels to use as presentation bowls, and you absolutely don’t need to do that. A ramekin works just fine.
I also highly recommend topping these with something, or using something to dip in them. A simple cookie works great, and I loved putting strawberry compote on top. You can also leave off the lemon zest if you want, some people don’t like the texture it adds. I didn’t mind it, but my partner didn’t care for it.
Here, make your own and let me know how you like it the best.
Lemon Posset
Equipment
- Ramekins Or other serving dishes; any small cup or bowl works fine.
- Masher or Juicer
- Sauce Pan
- Mesh Strainer
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Heavy Cream
- ⅔ Cup Sugar
- 5 Tbsp Lemon Juice About five small lemons.
Instructions
- Optional: If you want to use the lemons as the serving dishes, cut them in half lengthwise and use a spoon to extract the fruit, leaving just the rind in place. Be careful not to damage the structural integrity of the lemon halves. If using cups, ramekins, or other vessels, just peel the lemons or cut and juice them.
- Extract and strain your lemon juice to remove seeds and most of the pulp.
- In a sauce pan, stir together the heavy cream and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Bring this to a boil, and let it boil for about five minutes to reduce and thicken the cream.2 Cups Heavy Cream, ⅔ Cup Sugar
- Remove the cream from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Set this aside and let it cool for about 15 minutes.5 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- Once cooled, pour the custard mix through your strainer again to remove any stray lumps, filling each lemon half or your custard bowls/cups as you go.
- Chill your possets for at least a few hours, or overnight, so it sets. Top with whatever you like and enjoy!