Lemon Posset: Refreshing 4-Ingredient Summer Dessert
Lemon posset is having a moment. Chances are you’ve stumbled upon this stunning dessert served in hollowed-out lemon shells while scrolling your social feeds. But posset is more than just a jaw-dropper in front of the camera (seriously, does a more photogenic dessert exist?). This smooth, creamy, and tangy delight can be whipped up in minutes using a few simple ingredients (just give it time to set). Look good? Wait until you taste it!
What is Lemon Posset?
Lemon posset is a rich, creamy dessert that’s as elegant as it is easy to make. If you’re looking for maximum results with minimal effort, this is your recipe!
Originating in medieval England, posset was a hot drink made with milk curdled by wine or ale, often spiced and sweetened. It was a favorite remedy for ailments and even made its way into literature.
Be cheerful knight. Thou shall eat a posset tonight.
William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Now I’m no Shakespeare buff. But that’s some seriously old-school street cred. Fast forward to today and the posset has transformed into a chilled, velvety summer-time treat that’s perfect for warm weather.
Modern lemon posset is a silky-smooth pudding with a bright lemony flavor, made with just cream, sugar, and lemon juice. The acid from the lemons thickens the cream, creating a luscious texture without the need for any eggs or gelatin. This version includes fresh vanilla bean paste, adding a bit of warmth and rounding out the tangy, citrusy profile.
Lemon Posset Ingredients
One of the best things about posset is that you only need three ingredients to make it – heavy cream, sugar, and citrus juice. Vanilla is optional, but it pairs so well with cream and citrus that I highly recommend it.
- Lemon juice and zest – Fresh lemons are the star here. You’ll want both the juice and zest to give the posset its vibrant flavor and beautiful aroma. You need 75ml or 5 tablespoons of juice – equal to the juice of two to three lemons. You also need 1 tablespoon of zest – that’s about one whole lemon zested. Avoid Meyer lemons. They’re not actually lemons and they’re not acidic enough. The cream may not curdle, and as a result, the posset won’t set.
- Heavy Cream – Heavy cream is the best choice here. Don’t skimp on the fat content – the creamier, the better! This is what makes the posset so rich and decadent. A true posset calls for English double cream, but unfortunately, that’s not available everywhere. Look for at least 35-40% fat content. Otherwise, it may not set. If you can’t find a heavy cream, try mascarpone. Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese with a fat content of 44% that can easily pass for heavy cream in a pinch. If you do go the mascarpone route, be careful not to reduce it too much. The more you reduce the cream, the thicker the posset sets, and you may lose that pudding-like consistency.
- Sugar – You have a few options with the sugar. Plain, granulated sugar is the classic choice, but I love to experiment with different sweeteners. I’ve used raw, granulated cane sugar with great results. And in this version, I used lightly packed, light brown sugar. I love the caramel notes you get with brown sugar, but light brown sugar has a lower molasses content so you get an incredible depth of flavor that balances out the tart lemon, but without overpowering the fresh, citrus flavor. Whatever sugar you use, just make sure it fully dissolves in the cream.
- Vanilla (optional) – Vanilla is completely optional. I find that it enhances the lemon flavor. Plus, vanilla just pairs well with cream-based desserts. My advice – skip the extract and go for the fresh stuff. Yes, it’s a bit pricier. But the difference is incomparable. I highly recommend it.
How to Serve Posset
Lemon posset is incredibly versatile when it comes to serving and presentation.
My favorite way of serving posset is in the lemon shells themselves. I find it especially satisfying to eat something straight from its natural vessel. Almost primeval.
To serve lemon posset in the lemon shells, cut the lemon in half lengthwise and, using a spoon, scoop out the flesh. A word of warning, fully expect to spray yourself with lemon juice. And bear in mind that this method of serving will increase your preparation time. But it’s worth it!
You can also serve posset in small glass jars or ramekins. Garnish with mint, a slice of lemon, fresh berries, crushed pistachio, or whipped cream.
How to Make Lemon Posset
Lemon posset is incredibly easy to make. All said and done, this one comes together in about 15 minutes, not including the time it needs to set. So have your ingredients ready from the start.
- Heat the cream, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla. On medium-high heat, bring the cream, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla to a boil. Stir occasionally, making sure the cream doesn’t burn and the sugar fully dissolves. Once the mixture begins to boil, drop the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes. They say a watched pot never boils, but that’s not the case here! The cream can and will boil over fast if you’re not paying attention.
- Remove the cream from the heat.
- Stir in the lemon juice immediately.
- Let the mixture cool. Leave the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes, before pouring into hollowed-out lemon shells or your serving dish of choice. (Optionally, you can strain out the lemon zest before pouring the mixture into serving dishes.)
- Refrigerate. Refrigerate for between two to four hours, ideally overnight.
Posset Variations
Posset is a versatile dessert. You can experiment with flavors and combinations, infuse with herbs and aromatics, and garnish any way you want.
Keep in mind, you need citrus as the citric acid is the agent that curdles the cream, thickening it into a pudding-like substance. For the orange variety, you may even need to add a little lemon juice to up the acid content to a sufficient level.
- Orange posset
- Lime posset with raspberry by BBCGoodFood
- Blood orange posset with shaved chocolate from Tesco
Lemon Posset Recipe
Lemon Posset: Refreshing 4-Ingredient Summer Dessert
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Spoon
- Bowl
- Grater
Ingredients
- 500 ml (2 cups) Heavy cream
- 100 g (½ cup) Lightly packed light brown sugar See note 1
- 75 ml (5tbsp) Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Lemon zest
- Vanilla bean paste 1 inch-sized piece
Instructions
- Heat the cream, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla. On medium-high heat, bring the cream, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla to a boil. Stir occasionally, making sure the cream doesn’t burn and the sugar fully dissolves. Once the mixture begins to boil, drop the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove the cream from the heat.
- Stir in the lemon juice immediately.
- Let the mixture cool. Leave the mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Pour into hollowed-out lemon shells or your serving dish of choice (see note 2)
- Refrigerate. Refrigerate for between two to four hours, ideally overnight.
Notes
- You have a few options with the sugar. Plain, granulated sugar is the classic choice, but I’ve also used raw, granulated cane sugar with great results. In this version, I used lightly packed, light brown sugar. Light brown sugar has a lower molasses content so you get an incredible depth of flavor that balances out the tart lemon, but without overpowering the fresh, citrus flavor. Whatever sugar you use, just make sure it fully dissolves in the cream. If substituting plain granulated sugar or raw cane sugar for light brown sugar, use a one-to-one ratio.
- Optionally, you can strain out the lemon zest before pouring the mixture into serving dishes.
