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This Lemon Posset is a silky, creamy 3-ingredient desserts made with just heavy cream, sugar and fresh lemon juice. Traditionally a classic British dessert, lemon possets are known for their smooth texture and bright flavor. In this version, the mixture is poured into halved lemon shells for an elegant, dinner-party-worthy presentation that looks impressive but requires almost no effort.
With no gelatin and no baking required, this easy lemon posset sets beautifully in the refrigerator, creating a naturally smooth luscious lemon cream dessert.
These 3-ingredients Lemon Possets are super quick and easy to make. They are a great make-ahead dessert, making them perfect as a dinner nights dessert. They don't take more than 10 minutes to prepare and has a delicious of tangy citrus and creamy flavor.
For more easy recipes, try Brown Butter Hot Fudge Cake, Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake and Chocolate Ganache Cake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make: This lemon posset dessert only needs 3 simple ingredients and only takes 10 minutes to make.
- Make-ahead friendly: They make for a perfect dinner party dessert because they are served chilled.
- No baking required: Just heat and stir the ingredients on the stove top!
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Lemon: The flesh of the lemons are scooped out, so the shells are left. The juice of the lemons are used for the cream. The zest of the lemons is add the cream to maximise the lemon flavor.
- Heavy cream: Use a heavy cream that has around 36% fat.
- Granulated sugar: Helps sweeten the cream and balance the tangy flavor of the lemon.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make these Lemon Possets. This recipe needs a bowl, a small sauce pan and a spatula.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
STEP 1: Start by halving the lemon on the long side, and use a spoon to gently remove the flesh of the lemons. Add the flesh of the lemons to sieve, over a bowl, and squeeze the lemon juice. Set it aside.
STEP 2. Zest the bottom of each halved lemon and add the zest to a small saucepan together with the heavy cream and granulated sugar.
STEP 3: Stir and let it come to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer/light boil for 4-5 minutes while giving it a stir.
STEP 4: Take the saucepan of the heat and pour the cream mixture through a sieve. Then add the lemon juice and stir it together. Pour the cream into a measure jug and pour the mixture into the halved lemon shells.
STEP 5: Place the lemon possets in the refrigerator and let them set for a minimum of 3 hours or until the next day. Optionally garnish with mint leaves, berries or lemon zest.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
I strongly recommend fresh lemon juice for lemon posset. Bottle lemon juice often contains preservatives and has a flatter, slightly bitter flavor that can affect both the taste and texture. Because this dessert heavily relies on just three ingredients, the main being lemon, the quality of the lemon juice makes a big difference. Freshly squeezed lemon juice provides a bright acidity needed to thicken the cream and create a smooth silky texture.
Yes, lemon posset is a perfect make-ahead dessert. It in fact needs to fully set in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. They can be made 2-3 days in advance, just make sure to cover them and keep the chilled until serving.
Curdling usually happens because either, the mixture was boiling too much, instead of simmer/light boil. Or the lemon juice was added while the cream was still actively boiling.
Yes, you can also pour the mixture into ramekins or small glasses instead.
HOW TO STORE
Store the lemon posset in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Serve them straight from the fridge. They are best enjoyed within 2-3 days.
Other Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Lemon Posset
Ingredients
LEMON POSSET
- 4 lemons
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 240 g heavy cream 36% fat (250 ml)
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice (45 g)
Instructions
- Start by halving the lemon on the long side, and use a spoon to gently remove the flesh of the lemons. Add the flesh of the lemons to a sieve, over a bowl, and squeeze the lemon juice. Set it aside.4 lemons
- Zest the bottom of each halved lemon and add the zest to a small saucepan together with the heavy cream and granulated sugar.80 g granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 240 g heavy cream
- Stir and let it come to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer/light boil for 4-5 minutes while giving it a stir.
- Take the saucepan of the heat and pour the cream mixture through a sieve. Then add the lemon juice and stir it together.3 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pour the mixture into a measuring jug and then pour the mixture into the halved lemon shells.
- Place the lemon possets in the refrigerator and let them set for a minimum of 3 hours. Optionally decorate with mint leaves, fresh berries or lemon zest.
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