My first experience with lemon posset was at Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster in Harlem. I’d never heard of the dessert, but one taste got me hooked. I’ve been dreaming about it ever since.
Lemon posset actually dates back to medieval England. It was initially a creamy, boozy drink that morphed into the tangy pudding it is today—sans booze, sadly. It’s silky smoothness and complex flavor makes it seem like it would be a fussy dessert with lots of ingredients and special equipment. Not so. It is literally three ingredients and takes about 15 minutes of your time with a saucepan and a whisk.
But be careful. The cream can boil over pretty easily. That ends up making a more watery consistency and the sugar in it retains a grainy texture. No good. It needs to come to a soft boil, pushed down to a simmer for five minutes, then take it off the heat.
And, it definitely needs to chill for a while. Let it rest in ramekins for at least two hours before serving. A few berries, some mint, or even a tiny dollop of fresh whipped cream and you are good to go!
Here’s the recipe:
2 c. cream
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 lemons, juice and zest
Zest and juice two lemons and set aside.
Place the cream in a saucepan on medium high heat to bring to boil. Stirring constantly, slowly add the sugar to completely dissolve it into the cream. Add the lemon zest and juice, stirring it in as you go. Once the cream comes to a boil, turn the heat down to simmer for five minutes.
Let the mixture cool off for 5-10 minutes. Then, strain in a chinois to remove the zest. Pour into separate ramekins (makes approximately enough for 6). Cover in plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours.
Serve with your favorite berries or whipped cream and enjoy!
