Lemon posset is probably one of the easiest desserts to make and a perfect one for the warmer months. With very little ingredients required and very little time, it surely is one of those desserts you can just put together in an afternoon when you don’t have much time (or energy) to bake.

Lemon Posset

I recently started reading about the origins of lemon posset, mainly because it is something that feels like has been around for so long I wanted to know where and how it all started. Turns out a posset was a hot drink people used to drink back in the day (like, waaaaay back in the day) as a cure for illness. This use obviously eventually disappeared and the name was given to a citrus based dessert, and that’s how we are here.

So, how do you make this?

Lemon posset is super easy to make and basically consists of double cream, lemon and usually sugar. I have changed things up a little bit on my recipe but still obviously staying close to the original. For starters, I used condensed milk as my sweetening element as I much prefer it to sugar; additionally, I added just a bit of vanilla extract, because, let’s be honest, everything is better with vanilla extract.

I decided to use the shells of the lemons I used as little cups to serve my possets, however, you can definitely use a mug, a ramekin, a glass or any other container you may have. I also encourage you to add some sugar on top of some of my possets to brûlée them and give them a special touch!

Easy Lemon Posset

Ingredients:

• 300 ml of double cream
• 50 ml of condensed milk
• 60 ml of lemon juice 
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract 

Mehod:

1. Start by juicing your lemons and set the juice aside, make sure no lemon pits fall into the juice as it would make it bitter.
2. In a large pot, cook the double cream, condensed milk and vanilla extract over medium to low heat until it starts simmering, use a spatula to stir often and make sure it doesn’t burn. Make sure you use a larger pot than you think you’ll need, the cream will start to raise in the pot and it can spill over. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes and then take off the heat.
3. Transfer into a glass bow or jar and add the lemon juice. Mix well using a whisk. Feel free to try the mix as you are adding the lemon so it’s to your taste.
4. Pour the filling onto a ramekin or a lemon shell* and leave to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

*If you are using a lemon shell, make sure they are clean and dry before transfering the mix.