Lemon Posset
Posset feels like a magic trick: just cream, sugar and lemon juice, and in the fridge they set all by themselves into a thick, silky cream. The acidity of the lemon thickens the hot, rich cream, so no gelatine is needed. The flavour is bright and purely lemony, and a small portion is plenty.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Rest
- 4 h 10 min
- Total
- 4 h 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 430 kcal
Ingredients
Makes: 6 servings of 100 ml
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Warm the cream
In a saucepan of at least 2 litres, combine the cream, sugar and zest. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
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Step 2: Simmer the cream
Bring to the boil, then lower the heat so the cream bubbles steadily without rising up the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. It will reduce slightly and thicken.
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Step 3: Add the lemon juice
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. The mixture will thicken noticeably straight away. Leave it for 10 minutes.
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Step 4: Strain the mixture
Strain through a fine sieve into a jug to remove the zest and any skin.
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Step 5: Fill the ramekins
Pour into 6 small ramekins, glasses or cups.
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Step 6: Chill the posset
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. It is set when it no longer moves as you tilt the ramekin and a spoon leaves a clean mark.
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Step 7: Serve with raspberries
Top each posset with a few raspberries just before serving — their sharpness is lovely against the sweet cream.
Tips & variations
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Tip
The richer the cream, the firmer the posset. With 33% cream it is soft and spoonable; with 38% or richer (double cream) it is almost like a set pudding.
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Tip
Do not cut the boiling time short: those 5 minutes reduce the cream just enough for it to set later.
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Variation
Replace half the lemon juice with lime or orange juice, and use orange zest for an orange posset.
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Storage
Posset keeps, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 6 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 430 kcal | 2,580 kcal |
| Protein | 2 g | 12 g |
| Fat | 33 g | 198 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g | 174 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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