3 Ingredient Lemon Posset

This recipe for lemon posset is a rich, sweet and tart, chilled custard-like dish that couldn’t be easier to make.  It's made from just lemon, cream and sugar, fairly common addition to cookbooks and menus in England, Lemon Posset has started to make into restaurants in the USA. However, you don’t need any advanced skills to be able to whip up your own Lemon Possets at home. Combining the sharp tang of citrus with sweet, velvety cream, these zesty little pots make an ideal spring dessert that’s bound to impress your guests.

All About Lemon Posset

Originating from Britain, this quick and easy lemon dessert with strawberries is a simple citrus dessert that dates all the way back to the 15th century. In its earliest form, posset was a drink made from milk and citrus juice or alcohol, though over time it has evolved into a creamy, chilled lemon pudding with an irresistibly silky light texture. 

The perfect recipe for Lemon Posset should have a thick, set consistency with a good balance of sweet-tart flavors. Similar to a pot de crème or custard, it’s a rich make ahead dessert that’s perfect for serving up on Mother’s Day or Easter or any day.

Lemon Posset Ingredients

All you need to make this dessert is sugar, heavy whipping cream, and of course lemons. Chances are you already have at least one of these ingredients on hand, making it a great budget-friendly sweet option that still tastes and looks delicious.

Unlike other set desserts, Lemon Posset with strawberries requires no gelatin, and instead relies on a reaction between the cream and acid to create its signature texture. As a result, this recipe is suitable for vegetarians.

How To Serve It?

As Lemon Posset is very rich, it’s usually served as individual portions in mini bowls or ramekins. If you like, you can top it with your favorite fresh fruits to add another element and bring some extra freshness to the dish. 

I’ve used macerated strawberries here to add a beautiful pop of color to the pale yellow Lemon Posset. You could also serve it with some lemon zest grated over the top or even alongside some crunchy homemade shortbread.

How To Make It?

Step 1 - To make this lemon posset with strawberries, put all of your ingredients into a saucepan over medium high heat, stirring frequently.

Step 2 - After around 2-3 minutes, the mixture will start to bubble and turn a rich yellow color. Once it starts to rise as if it is going to boil over, remove the saucepan from the heat and reduce the temperature to low.

Step 3 -  Place the saucepan back on the heat and cook for 10 minutes.

Step 4 - Remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool for 20 minutes before pouring the mixture into your serving bowls or ramekins and cooling in the refrigerator for a few hours, preferably overnight. 

How To Serve Lemon Posset

15 minutes before serving, slice clean strawberries into a bowl and add sugar to taste. Mix to combine.

Let the fruit sit at room temperature and add it on top of the possets, along with its juices, just before taking your desserts to the table.

Cook’s Tips 

While Lemon Posset is a very simple dessert, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure yours are a roaring success.

Once in the hot pan, the mixture can boil over very quickly, so it’s important you keep a careful eye on it.

It’s important not to skip the 20 minute cooling period before you add the mix to the bowls or ramekins, as adding hot liquid may cause them to crack.

If your Lemon Posset doesn’t set, this could be because the lemons weren’t acidic enough or because the cream wasn’t heated long enough (this evaporates some of the water in the cream that can prevent it from setting).

It’s important to use heavy whipping cream only, as it’s the high content in this particular type of cream that causes the reaction needed to make it set.

Once you’ve added your macerated strawberries, serve your Lemon Posset immediately, otherwise the juices will start to go soggy and discolor the dessert.