Save I discovered posset completely by accident during a rainy weekend in the Cotswolds, when my host insisted on serving something 'properly British' after dinner. What arrived was this impossibly silky, tart-sweet cloud in a hollowed lemon half, crowned with a crackling caramel shell that gave way to pure cream beneath. One spoonful and I was absolutely undone—no wonder this medieval dessert never went out of style. I spent the next three months figuring out how to make it at home, and now it's the dessert I reach for when I want to feel like I've done something fancy without actually breaking a sweat.
I made these for my mother's birthday dinner last spring, serving them on her old mismatched china bowls alongside shortbread I'd baked that morning. When she cracked through that caramel top and tasted the brightness of the lemon mingled with all that silky cream, she got absolutely quiet for a moment—the kind of quiet that means something landed just right. That's when I understood posset isn't really about the ingredients; it's about giving someone a moment of real, unrushed pleasure.
Ingredients
- Double cream (500 ml): This is the backbone—don't skimp on quality here, and if you only have single cream, the posset will never set properly.
- Caster sugar (140 g plus 6–8 tsp for topping): The fine crystals dissolve cleanly into hot cream without any graininess, and they caramelize beautifully under the torch.
- Lemon zest (from 2 lemons): Toast this with the sugar and cream to coax every bit of oil from the peel—that's where the real lemon flavor hides.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice (90 ml): Bottled juice is fine in a pinch, but fresh juice transforms this from pleasant to genuinely bright.
- Large lemons (6, for shells): Pick ones with thick skin so the shells hold up; thin-skinned lemons will crack when you scoop them out.
Instructions
- Hollow out your vessels:
- Halve each lemon lengthwise and scoop out the flesh with a small spoon or melon baller, keeping the shells as thick and sturdy as you can. Trim a thin slice off the bottom of each shell so they sit flat and proud, then pop them in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Heat the cream base:
- Combine your cream, sugar, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil, stirring often so the sugar dissolves completely. Let it bubble quietly for exactly 3 minutes—this coaxes the lemon oil into the cream—then take it off the heat.
- Add the lemon juice:
- Stir in the fresh lemon juice and watch as the posset thickens almost immediately (the acid is curdling the cream just slightly, which is exactly what you want). After 10 minutes of cooling, pour everything through a fine strainer to catch the zest, leaving you with silky smoothness.
- Fill and chill:
- Carefully pour the warm posset into each lemon shell, filling right up to the rim. Slide them into the fridge and forget about them for at least 3 hours—the mixture needs time to set into that lovely quivering texture.
- Torch and serve:
- Just before you sit down to eat, sprinkle a teaspoon of caster sugar over each posset and run a kitchen blowtorch across the top until the sugar turns deep golden and crackles. Let it harden for a couple of minutes, and then you're done—crack through that shell with a spoon and fall into the creamy center.
Save The first time a guest asked for seconds of this dessert, I realized I'd created something that transcends the usual 'oh how lovely' politeness people extend at dinner parties. They genuinely wanted more of this strange, silky, tart-sweet thing served in a hollowed fruit. That moment mattered more to me than any recipe review ever could.
The Magic of the Brûlée Top
There's something almost visceral about cracking through that caramel shell, the sharp sound and sudden resistance followed by the surrender into smooth cream beneath. The contrast is what makes posset sing—without that crispy top, it's lovely but forgotten; with it, it's memorable. I learned this when I once served posset without torching the tops (I was lazy), and people ate them politely but no one asked for the recipe. Then I made them again with proper caramel, and suddenly everyone wanted to know how I'd done it.
Serving and Pairing
Posset doesn't need much company, but it genuinely sings alongside something crisp and buttery—shortbread is traditional and works beautifully, though any simple biscuit cuts through the richness. I've also served it with candied lemon peel on the side, and the extra brightness tied everything together. The real secret is resisting the urge to overcomplicate it; this dessert is already doing the heavy lifting.
Make-Ahead and Timing
One of the greatest gifts this recipe gives you is the ability to make it ahead without stress. The posset itself keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours, which means you can focus on the rest of your meal instead of panicking about dessert. The only thing you do at the last moment is the torch work, which takes maybe five minutes for six servings.
- Prepare the lemon shells and fill them with posset up to two days in advance, keeping them carefully covered.
- The brûlée topping must be done just before serving so the sugar stays crisp and doesn't dissolve back into the cream.
- If you're serving at a dinner party, torch the possets in the kitchen, then carry them to the table and watch your guests' faces as they dig in.
Save This dessert taught me that sometimes the most impressive things we serve are the simplest to make—cream, sugar, lemon, and a moment of fire, transformed into something that makes people pause and savor. That's enough.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → How do I prepare lemon shells for serving?
Halve large lemons and carefully scoop out the pulp, keeping shells intact. Trim a slice off the bottom so they stand upright and chill before filling.
- → What is the best way to achieve a smooth texture?
After simmering cream, sugar, and zest, strain the mixture before pouring into shells to remove zest pieces for extra smoothness.
- → How do I create the crisp brûlée topping?
Sprinkle caster sugar evenly on top and caramelize using a kitchen blowtorch or a very hot grill, allowing sugar to harden before serving.
- → Can I add herbs for extra flavor?
Yes, infusing the cream with thyme or basil during the simmering step adds subtle herbal notes. Remove before adding lemon juice.
- → How long should the posset chill before serving?
Allow at least 3 hours in the refrigerator for the cream to set properly inside the lemon shells.