Posset is an incredibly easy-to-make dessert recipe, using just three simple ingredients that you probably have on hand right now!
Run, don’t walk to the nearest grocery store pick up some cream…and some lemons! That’s it, seriously…well and a bit of sugar. I kid you not, posset is one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. It’s DEFINITELY the easiest and fastest. I’ve been researching pub food for the last few days. Not pub, pub food. I didn’t want Cottage Pie and sausage rolls, or a Ploughman’s Lunch. I was looking for something a bit different. (This post may contain affiliate links)
The desserts on a menu don’t generally catch my eye first, as I tend to gravitate to the savory. Then I stumbled across the website of a gastropub just outside of London and was a bit taken back by the menu. Scanning down to the puddings, (desserts) out popped….Posset. “What IS this posset?” (I have been singing Les Miserables’ Castle on a Cloud, ever since I tasted it…”Oh, Posset, I love you very much!“)
After researching several posset recipes online, my head was swimming in disbelief! Could a dessert with just THREE ingredients really be THAT good?
I had to try it. I had all three ingredients anyway. Lemon, sugar and cream. Yep, that’s it. I was still a bit skeptical…no cornstarch…no flour…no eggs…and wait, no curdling? Well, yes, there is curdling, that’s where the citrus comes in…but in a good way! You can see, I went a little bit crazy…with macerated raspberries or without?
Possets have been around for hundreds of years, yes, hundreds! Shakespeare refers to possets in several of his plays, including this line from The Merry Wives of Windsor…
yet be cheerful knight: thou shalt eat a posset to-night at my house; Where I will desire thee to laugh at my wife.
Possets were originally used for medicinal purposes, as this The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as a, “drink made of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or other alcoholic liquor and typically flavored with spices, drunk as a delicacy or as a remedy for colds.” I’ve also been on a tear watching The Tudors on Netflix. I’m not saying Henry viii was a romantic by any stretch of the imagination. I mean after all, he was a bit fickle, and of course a girl had to watch her back neck around him. I imagine that he might have tried to woo some of those mistresses and wives by plying them with a bit of liquor-laced Posset. That could have been why he was so popular with the women…or maybe it was the title…or the sharp swords? Click on the video to see how easy it is to make Posset!
I hope you enjoy the delicious simplicity of a posset soon!
- 1 pint 16 ounces heavy cream (don't substitute half and half)
- 3/4 cup organic sugar
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
- Bring cream and sugar to boil over a medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly, adjusting heat as needed to prevent mixture from boiling over. Remove from heat.
- Stir in lemon juice and lime juice and zest, and cool 10 minutes.
- Stir mixture again and divide among six 1/2 cup ramekins or custard cups.
- Cover and chill possets until set, 2 hours or overnight.
- Garnish with berries if desired. Allow to set completely before garnishing
By the time I was finished cooking the Lemon and Lime Posset, I was giddy.
My head was spinning with other possibilities. I had to run out and get more cream for a second , third batch.
I’d figure out how I’d manage to eat them later. I macerated some raspberries in a little Chambord, to top some of them.
To macerate fruit, add a bit of sugar and some liquor or fruit juice, then let the fruit sit about 20 minutes. Then I went a little crazy and made little ones with layers of angel food cake, raspberries and posset…homerun! Now I was on fire! What would Henry, or at least Henry’s cooks come up with?
By the time I was back from the store, Honey, Lavender and Orange Posset was written in my head. This afternoon, my friend, Frances and her teenage son, Alec, stopped by to taste test for me. I started them off with the Lemon-Lime, before I eased them into the Orange, Honey and Lavender. I was stunned when 16 year old Alec went back again and again to the Orange and Lavender. That one was his favorite! It’s a bit more subtle and less tart than the citrus version. Try them both, then you decide!
I knew I’d need a bit of sugar to help the cream set up, and I’d need a bit of lemon to balance the sweetness of the orange. If you are sure that the lavender in your garden, is pesticide free, you may use that. Otherwise, culinary lavender can be purchased at Cost Plus, World Market and some specialty stores. The recipe says chill in the fridge 4 hours to overnight. I made my third batch this morning, popped them in the freezer for half and hour and they were set perfectly!
Which posset recipe will you try first?
- 1 pint 16 ounces heavy cream (don't substitute half and half)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried chopped lavender flowers, (use culinary or pesticide free lavender)
- 1/3 cup organic sugar
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- Zest and juice of one medium orange
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Bring cream, lavender honey and sugar to boil over a medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly, adjusting heat as needed to prevent mixture from boiling over. Remove from heat.
- Stir in orange and lemon juices and zest of orange. and cool 10 minutes.
- Stir mixture again and divide among 6 or 8 ramekins.
- Cover and chill possets until set, 2 hours or overnight.
Some of the items I used for this post. (This is an affiliate link of which I make a small percentage, at no additional cost to you which helps off-set the cost of running this site. Thank you!)
Dena says
Oh yum! I will definitely be making these, maybe a bit of fruit added on top so it can be considered a fruit course. 🙂
Cynthia says
@Dena, I made some with and some without fruit…You could also think of it as a fruit sauce!
Mimi says
I have never heard of possit! Don’t you love it when you make new discoveries! Love these desserts!
Amy says
Sounds possit-tively delicious! Can’t wait to try it…
Charlotte says
This sounds so “delirious”…, I’m going to town tomorrow and pick up all the ingredients.
Even a non-cook, such as myself, should be able to make this decadent dessert….
Cynthia says
Charlotte, you will love it!
Dorothy at ShockinglyDelicious says
I have made this version of a posset before http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-meyer-lemon-posset-s,0,6517228.story and absolutely loved it! It is so rich!
Yours is stunningly beautiful, and it sounds wonderful. I have lemons, limes, cream and sugar. Guess what I will be doing?
Cynthia says
Dorothy, try my version too!…Orange, Honey and Lavender!
Ashley @CenterCutCook says
This sounds so refreshing, and delicious!
Ada ~ More Food, Please says
Never heard of possets until now! These desserts look so fancy! Bookmarking the orange, honey, and lavender one. Thanks for sharing!
Cynthia says
Let me know what you think!
SherryO says
Oh dear lord … I don’t know that a word exists that’s good enough to describe these in all their scrumptiousness. Once you mentioned that you macerated the raspberries in Chambord, I knew I’d be making the citrus one first, Chambord and all. I am a total sucker for lemon or lime paired with raspberries. Thanks for sharing at Who Needs A Cape?’s Super Sunday link party – hope you’ll be back next week for more linky fun!
SherryO @ WhoNeedsACape.com
Not Your Average Super Moms …
Cynthia says
Sherry, I’m glad you liked it! And how EASY is it? I can’t believe I have made it my whole life without having this dessert in my back pocket! LOL!
Del's cooking twist says
Oh dear… t! This British Orange honey and lavender posset is just amazing! I can’t wait to try this recipe 🙂
Lorinda McKinnon - the Rowdy Baker says
Wow, great post! You’ve sold me – I’m dying to try this! Pinned and shared, and LOVED!
Cynthia says
Thanks Lorinda! Let me know how it turns out!
Lisa says
These sound delicious! I bought some Tupelo honey at the Amish market because of the Van Morrison song. I’m going to try it in this recipe.
One thing, though-the recipe doesn’t say when to add the honey. Do you add it before or after you boil the cream?
Cynthia says
Thanks Lisa, I’ve amended the recipe. The honey should be added at the same time as the sugar.
Vivienne Jenkins says
I make lemon posset with tiny flakes of dark chocolate in the bottom of the glass and raspberries on top. A combination to die for!
Cynthia says
That sounds really delicious too Vivienne!
Kim Beaulieu says
Cynthia, this is beyond gorgeous. I cannot even get over how pretty this is. Yummed, tweeted and pinned.
Christina @ Christina's Cucina says
I loved Mary Berry’s posset when I tried it last October in Scotland, and decided then that I had to make it when I got home. I haven’t made it yet, but I do have all the ingredients, too! Can’t wait, but will have to dream up my own flavor combination!! How fun! Love your photos!!
Christina @ Christina's Cucina says
I’ve made this twice now and even turned my mother onto it! It’s not the last time we’ll be making it either! Thanks for such a fab recipe, Cynthia!!
Sarah Sonnamaker says
I’ve never heard of this before, can’t wait to try it!
Taylor@Food Faith Fitness says
This looks delicious!!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
Everything about this looks amazing, I’ve never heard of this before! love it!
YankeeKitchenNinja (Julianne) says
OK, I’m sold — seems so easy and looks so good!!!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
WOA – I never thought three ingredient desserts could be so appealing! Come to think of it, not sure I’ve ever had a posset – but you are right, the possibilities are endless and you have some fine examples on here! So light and refreshing and deeeeelicious!
Allie says
Can’t believe how pretty and how easy. I must try this Cynthia!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
This sounds so good!
Marye says
These look so amazing! I must try one!
Shelley says
Absolutely loved this dessert. Easy and tasty!
Robert Erman says
Thanks about this recipes. I like lemon and honey. Its very delicious and yummy.
Cynthia says
So easy too Robert!
Lidia says
Cynthia, I have made your delicious dessert “Posset” we all enjoy it so much, thank you for sharing the recipe, and the beautiful photo presentations.
Cynthia says
thank you Lidia! It’s one of my favorites! So easy too!
gabriele says
I tried it but when I added the lemon juice the cream immediately curdled , it did set well but was not a smooth texture but grainy… What did I do Wrong?
Cynthia says
hmmm, that’s interesting. It is supposed to curdle, because that’s how it sets up. Was the sugar dissolved completely before you added the lemon juice? That’s the only thing I can think of that would make it grainy?
Kay says
These looks absolutely delicious! I’ve mever heard of posset before and couldn’t wait to try it. I tried making the Orange Honey Lavender Posset, but it didn’t set. Only a top layer set and the rest was completely liquid. 🙁 Any suggestions? I’m going to try it a second time, so any tips are greatly appreciated.
Cynthia says
Hi Kay,
I’ve never had it not set up. Did you use heavy cream or half and half? It’s pretty much just heating the sugar and cream together until the sugar dissolves, then adding the citrus zest and juice to curdle the cream. It usually takes an hour to set up in the fridge.