Lemon Possets
- Makes6 servings
- Cook Time30 minutes
- Active time plus coolingplus chilling
Lemon posset is quite possibly the easiest dessert you can make. It’s a classic British “pudding” that requires only three ingredients—lemon, cream and sugar—and only a few minutes at the stovetop. There’s no need to whisk, whip or fold. The acidity of the lemon juice, combined with gentle heat, acts upon the dairy proteins, curdling the mixture into a silky, custard-like consistency. We found that a two-step process—making lemon sugar syrup, then adding warm cream—yields the smoothest, perfectly set texture. Make sure to use a nonreactive saucepan when making the lemon syrup to avoid a metallic flavor and “off” hue in the finished dessert. We like to make a sugared lemon zest garnish out of the strips of peel after they’ve infused the syrup, but feel free to skip this flourish. The possets will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days, so they’re a great make-ahead dessert.
Don’t cover the ramekins with plastic wrap until the possets are fully chilled. This will prevent beads of condensation from accumulating on the surface.
Step 1
In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the lemon zest and juice and the sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is clear, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Step 2
In a small saucepan over medium, heat the cream, stirring occasionally, until simmering around the edges. While whisking the lemon syrup (it should still be warm), slowly pour in the hot cream. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Discard the zest strips, or, if you wish to use them for garnish, reserve them.
Step 3
Divide the mixture evenly among six 6-ounce ramekins or dessert bowls. Refrigerate uncovered until well chilled, about 4 hours. Meanwhile, if making sugared lemon zest for garnish, rinse the reserved zest strips, thoroughly pat them dry and cut them into very thin slices. Pat dry again. Transfer to a small plate, sprinkle with the sugar and toss until evenly coated. Set aside until ready to use.
Step 4
Serve the possets cold or, if storing longer, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If you’ve made sugared lemon zest, just before serving, use some to garnish each posset.
