Lemon Posset

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I am ALWAYS searching for desserts that are elegant and easy to make, yet light and refreshing. This lemon posset checks all of those boxes. With only four ingredients and no oven time required, this is a great dessert to serve on a warm day when you don’t feel like spending a lot of extra time in the galley (or kitchen).

What is posset, anyway?

Posset is basically custard, but it’s thickened by a different process. Whereas traditional custard recipes use eggs as a thickener, posset relies on the natural reaction between the acidity of lemons and the warm cream to thicken it. Lemons aren’t the only ingredient you can use to make posset; oranges, limes, even wine will have the same result when combined with warm cream!

NOTE: Don’t fall for the sexy lemon presentation

I first learned about this dessert from a viral instagram reel (have you seen it?). The posset was presented in a hollowed lemon, which I thought was super sexy – and clever! When I finally got around to trying out the recipe myself, I too served them in hollowed lemons. Unfortunately, after a bite or two of yummy posset, I discovered that the pith of the lemons imparted a bitter taste to almost half of the dessert. Bleh! Another downside was how challenging it was to physically balance the halved lemons while pouring warm posset into them on a moving sailboat. Not to mention how much of a pain in the arse it was trying to keep them steady in the fridge as they cooled down.

So, after that first experiment, I decided to stick to the basics; I like to serve my posset in glass cups, garnished with mint leaves and fresh berries (my favorite are raspberries, if available).

Still sexy, more tasty!