Lemon Posset Recipe

Lemon posset is an easy and a wonderfully light custard-like dessert. The addition of fresh lemon makes this a perfect chilled dessert to serve all summer.

The best desserts are the easiest desserts and it could not be any easier to make this flavorful posset. You’ll notice that it is egg free, which is a big help because there is no tempering involved and you don’t have to worry about curdling the eggs.

So, if there are no eggs, how does this thicken? Well, there is a bit of science to it and it’s all in the lemon.

When acid (lemon) is added to cream, it changes the pH and causes the once separate milk caseins to bond together.

Adding lemon to milk is a totally different story. Because of the different viscosity than cream, the milk becomes curdled and the curds separate, this is how ricotta is made (a little fun fact).

This lemon posset is refrigerated after cooking and that helps it thicken further.

Another bonus to this recipe that it is elegant enough to serve for a dinner party and a great make ahead dessert. Slightly tart and a little sweet, but not too sweet which the cream and lemon help to cut through.

This dessert has a lovely light pudding/mousse-like consistency and is always served with some type of buttery cookie so you can dunk the cookie for the perfect bite. I also like to serve fresh fruit alongside, like raspberries, which complement the fresh lemon.

It is a cream-heavy dessert, but you don’t notice this because of the lemon. Isn’t lemon just great for everything?

This dessert started its life as a hot drink curdled with wine or ale, often sweetened and spiced, that was served in the Middle Ages. Also, known as a poshote and poshotte, this dessert has since been turned into a popular British dessert and certainly come a long way since its inception.

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