Lemon Posset Recipe

Lemon Posset Recipe – creamy, flavorful and satisfying dessert – a must try in summer.

The lemon dessert trend is gaining popularity all over again and I can’t hide my satisfaction.

If you are a fan, try my popular Keto Lemon Bars, Lemon Cottage Cheese Mousse or Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.

I’m a huge lemon dessert lover and very happy to share some amazing recipes with you. The combination of sweet and tangy is so good, and this is what most lemon desserts represent.

The final result is a creamy dessert with a texture similar to Panna Cotta.

This creamy dessert is made with just 3 ingredients in under 15 minutes of cooking time (you still have to wait for it to set and thicken, while cooling down).

Serve in lemon shells (lemon cups), like in this Lemon Creme Brûlée, shot glasses or small bowls.

What is Lemon Posset?

Lemon Posset is a dessert, that originates from the United Kingdom. 

A posset was originally a British drink made of hot curdled milk and then flavored with wine, ale or spice.

Certain sources provide information of Posset Desserts made with egg yolks. 

The posset recipe I’m sharing with you today is a spin on this classic dessert.

It is basically “curdled cream”.

A creamy custard like pudding, made with heavy cream, sweetened with sugar, flavored with lemon zest and “curdled” with lemon juice.

Make sure you strain the mixture to ensure it is extra smooth and creamy.

There is no cornstarch used to “thicken” the dessert.

The lemon juice causes a reaction with the cream resulting in it setting up. 

You may know that pastry making and desserts in general are my passion, so “Possets” are new to me.

I’ve seen them as components of sophisticated desserts at nice restaurants here in Europe.

How to make Lemon Posset Dessert?

Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Ingredients:

• Heavy Cream or Double Cream
• Sugar (I recommend fine caster sugar, but any sugar will work). Erythritol can be substituted for sugar, if necessary.
• Whole lemons for zesting and juicing. I used Eureka lemons, but Meyer lemons will work, too. You need about 2 lemons in the recipe (since 1 lemon yields about 40-45 ml of juice).

Directions:

• The recipe is unbelievably simple to make. Almost no cooking involved.
• All you need to do is get your ingredients easy.
• Heat the cream, lemon zest and sweetener on the stove top, until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat.
• Add in the the lemon juice and stir.
• The mixture will start to thicken, once it starts cooling down.
• Strain into lemon shells or serving cups. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Serve.

Recipe tips:

• Use good quality ingredients – real heavy cream, caster sugar if possible, fresh lemons.
• Do not overheat the heavy cream, just heating it to the point, where fine bubbles appear on top of it is enough.
• Make sure you wash the whole lemons very well with a sponge and detergent, then rinse and pat dry. This will remove the waxy layer, that lemon shells have been treated with, to prevent easy spoiling. The layer also brings extra bitterness, if not washed out. This wax helps preserve the lemons and keep their rinds clear of any germs or insects while they’re transported and sit in the store’s produce bins.
• Lemon Shells – make sure the lemons you use are fresh. How to make these? Cur lemons in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or a melon balled scoop out the flesh, leaving the peel to form a cup. It may be a little messy.
• How to store lemon posset dessert? If you make it in glass cups or bowls, store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you happen to make it in lemon shells (lemons cut in half lengthwise and the flash scooped out), you can store in the fridge for up to 2 days, because the dessert sitting in lemon peels, may start to absorb too mush lemon flavor and also the shells may get too dry or even spoiled.

Can you make Lemon Posset ahead of time?

Yes, you can!

Make it up to 3 days in advance.

This summer dessert only requires a few minutes of stove top cooking to be prepared and a couple of hours in the refrigerator to set.

More Lemon Desserts:

• Lemon Creme Brulee
• Keto Lemon Tart
• Lemon Keto Cheesecake

5 from 5 votes

Lemon Posset Dessert

Lemon Posset Recipe – creamy, flavorful and satisfying 3 ingredient dessert – a must try in summer 2023.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 8

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Equipment

• 1 whisk
• 1 Saucepan
• 1 Fine Mesh Strainer

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 600 ml heavy whipping cream (from real milk, at least 33 % fat
• ▢ 200 grams sugar
• ▢ 2 tbsp lemon zest
• ▢ 75 ml lemon juice, preferably fresh

US Customary – Metric

Video

Instructions 

• Place the cream and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring in order for the sugar to be dissolved. When fine bubbles appear on top of the heavy cream, remove from the heat.
• Add lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Stir.
• Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, then strain into cups (lemon shells).
• It makes about 12 lemon shells or 6 sups/ramekins. (or more)
• Cool completely at room temperature.
• You may cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 3 days.

Notes

• Will evaporated milk or condensed milk work? No, this recipe works with good quality heavy cream with at least 33% fat content. Lighter creams, such as half-and-half or single cream, won’t set very well and may result in a runny texture of the posset.
• Can you make the dessert in advance? Yes, but no more than 2-3 days in advance. It should be kept in the fridge at all times. If you are making lemon posset in ahead of time, for best results you may want to keep the dessert in glass cups, not inside the lemon shells, as they may release liquid and interfere with the texture of the posset.
• My posset did not set, what is the reason? There could be various reasons like the type of ingredients, saucepan and stove used. Heavy cream with low a fat content or not cooking the cream and sugar mixture long enough could be possible reasons.
• Can you use other citrus fruits? Yes! Oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit or tangerines could be used. You may want to check this Tangerine Posset Recipe.
• Do you need to strain the cooked mixture? Yes, this is mandatory for a smooth, creamy dessert. Run through a fine mesh strainer before pouring the mixture into the lemon cups.
• Dairy free option? While I have not tried this recipe with any dairy free substitute, coconut or dairy free cream alternative could possibly work. Again, I have not tried the recipe with an alternative ingredient.
• Could my lemon posset turn too thick? While this is rare, it is not impossible. Not using the proper heavy cream, over-reducing it or adding too much lemon juice are some possible reasons for this issue.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 85mg, Sodium: 21mg, Potassium: 85mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 1110IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 0.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, English

Tried this recipe?Mention @cookinglsl or tag #cookinglsl!