This Lemon Posset is silky, creamy and tastes absolutely amazing. Made with 3 ingredients, this classic British dessert is so easy to make. It is perfect for dinner parties and events.

What is a Posset

Posset was originally a popular English hot drink made of milk curdled with wine or ale. Over the years the drink has evolved into a dessert made with cream, sugar and citrus.

A posset doesn’t require corn starch, flour or eggs to help it thicken or set. It is thanks to the science of adding lemon juice and zest to a boiled mixture of cream and sugar. When lemon is added to milk, it curdles or becomes grainy. However when added to cream which contains a greater amount of fat, the effect is different. The lemon juice acidifies the cream and the fat helps the mixture thicken instead of curdling creating this smooth creamy consistency.

Ingredients for the Lemon Posset

Double or Heavy Cream- It’s the base for the dessert. This cannot be substituted for milk as it curdles when citrus juice is added.
Caster or Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the dessert, balances the tart flavour of the lemon juice and gives the posset structure.
Unwaxed Lemon Zest – Adds bold lemon flavour.
Lemon Juice- Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best. It helps turns the cream into a soft silky dessert.

How to make this dessert

Finely grate the zest off the lemons. Juice the fruit and strain to remove the seeds.

In a saucepan, heat the cream and sugar over low heat, stirring until the sugar has melted. Bring to a simmer and then let bubble for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Whisk in lemon juice and zest.

Divide the mixture between jars or ramekins. Leave to cool to room temperature, then cover with cling film or plastic wrap.

Place in the fridge and chill for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Tips for making the Posset

Use unwaxed lemons for this recipe as it doesn’t have any coating.

With a microplane zester or citrus zester remove the brightly coloured flesh of your lemons. The zest adds a bolder lemon flavour. Avoid the white pith as it is bitter.

Use a saucepan that is large enough for the liquid. Make sure to cook the cream slowly, as a fast boil will cause the cream to split or bubble over.

How to serve the Lemon Posset

Remove the lemon posset from the fridge and leave at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before serving.

The lemon posset can be served with a shortbread. It can also be served with blueberries, raspberries or strawberries, fruits which pair beautifully with the lemon flavour.

For more recipes, check these out:

Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake
Lemon Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce
Vanilla and Lemon Spritz Sandwich Cookies
Lemon Sour Cream Scones with Lemon Curd
Lemon Loaf Drizzled with Lemon Syrup