British · Desserts

Lemon Posset

Cream, sugar and lemon juice, boiled for three minutes and left to set. Three ingredients, no gelatine, no eggs, and it works by chemistry.

Not yet ratedThis recipe has no ratings yet 20 min hands on plus 4 hr chilling the possets until set Serves 4 servings Easy
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Lemon Posset — British desserts recipe, served and ready to eat

Photograph credit: lemon posset-3 by jules:stonesoup · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr

Method

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  1. Put the cream, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan.

  2. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

  3. Boil steadily for 3 minutes, watching that it does not climb over the pan.

  4. Take it off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

  5. Leave it to stand 2 minutes, then strain out the zest.

  6. Pour into six glasses or ramekins.

  7. Refrigerate 4 hours, until firmly set.

  8. Serve with raspberries, shortbread and strips of zest.

Chef’s Tips

  • Double cream only. Anything lighter will not set.
  • Three full minutes at a boil. That reduction is what sets it.
  • Lemon juice off the heat, then two minutes before pouring.

Common Substitutions & Variations

  • Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.

Pairing Suggestions

  • Shortbread
  • Raspberries
  • A glass of dessert wine

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days, covered. Do not freeze.

Common questions

How long does Lemon Posset take to make?

About 20 minutes of hands-on work — 10 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking — plus 4 hours of chilling the possets until set, so allow 4 hours 20 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 4.

What are the key tips for making Lemon Posset?

Double cream only. Anything lighter will not set. Three full minutes at a boil. That reduction is what sets it. Lemon juice off the heat, then two minutes before pouring.

What should I serve with Lemon Posset?

Shortbread; Raspberries; A glass of dessert wine.

Can Lemon Posset be made ahead or frozen?

Refrigerated for 3 days, covered. Do not freeze.

Is Lemon Posset suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Lemon Posset?

About 520 kcal per serving, with 3 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate and 42 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

520Calories
3gProtein
34gCarbs
42gFat
1gFibre
32gSugar
40mgSodium

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Written and tested by Turab

One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.