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Recipe
3 hr 45 min

Lemon Posset with Berries

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Lemon Posset with Berries
Author: Annie Petito

Recipe By Annie Petito

Published on July 29, 2024

This classic English specialty transforms cream, sugar, and lemon into a lush pudding with clear citrus flavor. It’s the easiest dessert you’ve never made.

Time

3 hr 45 min

Yield

Serves 6

Why This Recipe Works

Lemon posset is a silky, rich British dessert with bright citrus flavor. We found that using just the right proportions of sugar and lemon juice was the key to custard with a smooth, luxurious consistency and a bright enough flavor to balance the richness of the cream. Lemon zest was essential to making the lemon flavor even more prominent. For a posset with an optimally dense, firm set, we reduced the cream-sugar mixture to 2 cups to evaporate some of the water before adding the lemon juice, which in turn caused the mixture to solidify. Letting the warm mixture rest for 20 minutes before straining and portioning allowed the flavors to meld even more and ensured a silky-smooth consistency. Pairing the dessert with fresh berries for textural contrast helps keep it from feeling overly rich.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
⅔ cup (4 ⅔ ounces/132 grams) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 6 tablespoons juice (2 lemons)
1 ½ cups blueberries or raspberries

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Combine cream, sugar, and lemon zest in medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. If mixture begins to boil over, briefly remove from heat. Cook until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, 8 to 12 minutes.
    Recipe Tip
    Reducing the cream mixture to exactly 2 cups creates the best consistency. Transfer the liquid to a 2-cup heatproof liquid measuring cup once or twice during boiling to monitor the amount.
  2. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let sit until mixture is cooled slightly and skin forms on top, about 20 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into bowl; discard zest. Divide mixture evenly among 6 individual ramekins or serving glasses.
    Recipe Tip
    Straining after cooling removes any skin and zest and leaves the posset incredibly smooth.
  3. Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours. Once chilled, possets can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Unwrap and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with berries and serve.
    Recipe Tip
    Letting the possets sit at room temperature before serving ensures that the bright lemon flavor isn't dulled by the chill of the refrigerator.

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Lemon Posset with Berries

Recipe By Annie Petito

Published on July 29, 2024

Time

3 hr 45 min

Yield

Serves 6

Lemon Posset with Berries

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream⅔ cup (4 ⅔ ounces/132 grams) granulated sugar1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 6 tablespoons juice (2 lemons)1 ½ cups blueberries or raspberries

Instructions

  1. Combine cream, sugar, and lemon zest in medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. If mixture begins to boil over, briefly remove from heat. Cook until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, 8 to 12 minutes.
    Recipe Tip
    Reducing the cream mixture to exactly 2 cups creates the best consistency. Transfer the liquid to a 2-cup heatproof liquid measuring cup once or twice during boiling to monitor the amount.
  2. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let sit until mixture is cooled slightly and skin forms on top, about 20 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into bowl; discard zest. Divide mixture evenly among 6 individual ramekins or serving glasses.
    Recipe Tip
    Straining after cooling removes any skin and zest and leaves the posset incredibly smooth.
  3. Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours. Once chilled, possets can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Unwrap and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with berries and serve.
    Recipe Tip
    Letting the possets sit at room temperature before serving ensures that the bright lemon flavor isn't dulled by the chill of the refrigerator.
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