Creamy Lemon Posset

If you haven't tried a posset, you need to. This dessert really hits it out of the ballpark on a few fronts. And with only three ingredients, it doesn't get any easier. The marriage of cream and sugar makes this exactly what any dessert worth eating should be: sinful. Finally, you can play with the presentation depending on your personal style, from chic martini glasses to colorful ramekins.
  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Total: 6 hr (includes refrigeration time)
  • Active: 30 min
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Ingredients

Posset:

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar 

Juice of 3 lemons and peel from 1 lemon, white pith removed 

Candied Lemon Peel (optional):

Peel from 2 lemons, white pith removed, finely julienned

2 cups sugar

French macarons or shortbread, for serving, optional

Directions

  1. For the posset: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream, sugar and lemon peel to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently to make sure all the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice; you will see the mixture start to thicken. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a heat-proof pouring jug, allow to cool for 5 minutes, and then pour into your chosen serving glasses. (I like to serve mine in vintage champagne coupes.) Refrigerate until set, at least 5 hours.
  2. For the candied lemon peel: Place the lemon peel and 2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; strain, reserving the peel. In another saucepan, combine the sugar with 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Add the lemon peel to the syrup and simmer for 20 minutes. Leave the peel in the sugar syrup to cool, then transfer to a wire rack to dry.
  3. Garnish the posset with candied lemon peel if using, or serve it on its own or with some macarons or shortbread.

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