This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
A lemon posset is a no-bake, egg-free custard that is set using the acidity of lemon juice. This 3 ingredient recipe is smooth, tart and refreshing! I’ve topped it with whipped cream and an easy cherry sauce.
I first had a lemon posset in New Zealand and it blew my mind! Lemon posset has the texture of a baked custard like vanilla bean crème brûlée or an extra creamy vanilla pudding, but it isn’t baked and requires no eggs, cornstarch or other thickeners.
It quickly joined the ranks of my favorite lemon dessert recipes along with lemon olive oil cake, lemon cupcakes, easy lemon curd and lemon meringue cheesecake!
What is a posset?
A posset was originally a British drink made with hot curdled milk with wine or ale, but in the 19th century evolved into a sweet, custard-like dessert. The dessert is made with hot cream, sugar and lemon or lime juice. It cools and sets like a soft pudding and is similar to syllabub.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love Lemon Posset
- The taste and texture of pudding without any eggs or cornstarch! Lemon posset is silky, smooth and refreshingly tart! It has a rich lemon flavor from both lemon juice and lemon rind.
- An easy, 3 ingredient Summer recipe. If you can boil cream on the stove and juice lemons, then you are halfway to having the most refreshing and easy Spring and Summer dessert!
- Light, vegetarian dessert recipe. Unlike buttermilk panna cotta, which uses gelatin or chocolate pudding, which uses eggs and cornstarch, posset is set to custardy perfection with just the curding properties of cream and lemon juice!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Heavy Cream: I do recommend using heavy whipping cream for the thickest posset, but you could also use light whipping cream.
- Whole Fresh Lemons: Just like with lemon buttercream or any of these recipes with lemon curd, I recommend using freshly squeezed lemons. You will use both the peel and the juice for the recipe below.
- Granulated Sugar: Caster sugar is excellent because its extra fine granules dissolve more readily but regular granulated sugar works as well. You can also make your own caster sugar like I do in my Scottish shortbread recipe!
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cherries: The cherry sauce is a simple combination of fresh cherries, sugar and lemon juice, but you could also make it a little extra tart by adding citric acid or using fresh tart cherries if they are in season! In the restaurant I used a combination of 3 cherry varieties from the farmer’s market.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Possible Variations
- Lime Posset: The first time I served posset on the menu at the restaurant where I was pastry chef, I made a lime posset and served it with the same cherry sauce in the recipe below. It was delightful. Tart grapefruit should have enough acidity to curd in the same way but orange juice might not. If you would like to make an orange posset, you might consider adding 1/8 – ¼ teaspoon citric acid to the juice before preparing the recipe.
- Choose a different topping: When cherries are in season, there is nothing better, but lemon posset would also be delicious with blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, nectarines or peaches. You could serve it with my peach preserves, easy strawberry jam, or even mixed berry jam. Garnish with nasturtium leaves, micro basil or cilantro or edible violets.
- Infuse the cream. Vary the flavor by infusing the cream with spices, fresh mint, lavender or tea.
- Make a trifle: This is really outside the box, but try using chilled lemon posset to make a berry trifle or serve with lemon pound cake!
How to Make this Lemon Posset Recipe
Use these instructions to make silky smooth lemon posset with an easy cherry sauce! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
For the posset:
Step 1: In a large saucepan combine zest, cream, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce to medium low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Step 2: Continue to boil until slightly thickened; approximately 10 minutes.
It is incredibly important that this boils long enough to reduce, or the resulting custard will not be thick enough. It will be loosey goosey, and no one wants that.
Step 3: Remove from heat and add lemon juice.
Step 4: Stir and strain through fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup with a spout (this makes portioning mess free). Divide lemon mixture between 4 vessels. I like small dessert glasses, ramekins, glass pots, or vintage champagne coupes like in this chocolate mousse.
Step 5: Cool 30 minutes uncovered in refrigerator (this is so the condensation doesn’t build up) and then cover and chill until firm; approximately 2 hours. You don’t need to put the plastic wrap on the surface. I just use one piece to cover all the jars.
For the cherry sauce:
Step 1: Pit and quarter the cherries. An actual cherry pitter is a huge time-saver but you can also use a straw or cut it in half and then pick out the pit.
Step 2: Combine cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook until thickened slightly. Pour into a dish to cool completely. Serve room temperature or cold.
Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip
I serve this simple dessert with a little homemade whipped cream and the easy cherry sauce, but it would also be delightful served alone or with gingersnaps or pumpkin seed brittle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store posset in the refrigerator for up to a week. After 30 minutes, cover the jars or bowls with plastic wrap to create a seal. I do not recommend freezing posset and it will loosen at room temperature.
While both a posset and panna cotta rely on boiled heavy cream for the base, a panna cotta uses gelatin to set the custard and a posset uses the acidity of the lemon juice.
You must serve posset in a mold or glass unlike panna cotta, which can contain enough gelatin to stand alone.
I serve lemon posset with a dollop of whipped cream, lemon curd whipped cream or lemon whipped cream! It is fantastic with any fruit that you would typically pair with lemon like peaches, blackberries, strawberries, or cherries. You could also serve posset with citrus fruit sûprèmes for a simple Winter dessert.
If you tried this recipe and loved it please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!
Lemon Posset
Ingredients
For the possets:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 strips lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice 2 large lemons
For the cherry sauce:
- 1 cup fresh cherries pitted and quartered
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeeze, 1 lemon
Instructions
Prepare lemon posset:
- In a large saucepan combine zest, cream, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium low, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Continue to boil until slightly thickened; approximately 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Stir and strain through fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup with a spout (this makes portioning mess free). Pour into 4 vessels. I like small dessert glasses, glass pots, or vintage champagne coupes also work nicely.
- Cool 30 minutes uncovered in refrigerator (this is so the condensation doesn’t build up) and then cover and chill until firm; approximately 2 hours. You don’t need to put the plastic wrap on the surface. I just use one piece to cover all the jars.
Prepare cherry sauce:
- Prepare the optional cherry sauce while the possets set. Pit and quarter the cherries.
- Combine cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook until thickened slightly but still saucy. Pour into a dish to cool completely and refrigerate until cold.
- Serve with whipped cream and cherry sauce.
Notes
Technique – It is incredibly important that this boils long enough to reduce, or the resulting custard will not be thick enough. It will be loosey goosey, and no one wants that.
Variations – Try lime juice instead of lemon, choose a different fruit for the topping or infuse the cream with spices or tea!
Storage – Store posset in the refrigerator for up to a week. After 30 minutes, cover the jars or bowls with plastic wrap to create a seal. I do not recommend freezing posset and it will loosen at room temperature.
Nutrition
Before you go
I hope you enjoyed this professional chef created recipe. Check out all our delicious custard recipes or find a dessert sauce and topping recipe to go with it!
First time making this type of desert. All the notes and tips was really helpful, and highly appreciated. I macerated the cherries per one of your prior post, and it was delicious.
Hi Charles! Welcome to the posset lifestyle! I’m so happy my notes were useful to you. Macerated cherries sound delicious! Thank you for taking the time to rate/comment!