This elegant English dessert requires only three ingredients to make. Garnish each posset with fresh berries and serve with crumbly shortbread biscuits.
Lemon posset is a popular dessert on many restaurant and pub menus and if I spot lemon posset on a menu I will always pick it over anything else without a second thought!
For something so simple, this stunning dessert wows with its beautiful citrus flavour and luxuriously smooth texture. Possets are no-bake and can be prepared several hours ahead of time.
Today I’m checking back in with this divine lemon posset recipe. This traditional English dessert is a magical concoction of cream, lemons and sugar. Acidity from the lemon is what sets this dessert, without the need for any gelatine. That means this dessert is gluten-free (as long as you serve it with a gluten-free biscuit) and vegetarian.
You might have noticed my absence from the blog. I’ve taken this time away as an opportunity to update some of my older recipes with new photographs like these Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cupcakes, also these Chocolate Fudge Brownies, these Jammy Dodgers and most recently these Chocolate Malt Cupcakes.
I thought about which other recipe in my repertoire I wanted to update and I eventually decided after much deliberation that I would make my favourite lemon posset.
This recipe was originally shared in April 2015.
Lemon posset will take you about ten minutes to prepare and be ready to set in the fridge. The hardest part really is waiting for it to set, but it’s certainly going to be worth the wait! This recipe also doesn’t need any specialist equipment, all you’ll need is a lemon juicer and zester/grater for zesting the lemons, a large saucepan and a spoon for stirring. You can serve your posset in any dish you like. I have used vintage tea cups, glasses and small ramekins, but it’s up to you what you serve them in. Aways remember be creative and put your own twist on anything you make and most importantly, have fun!
Once you’re ready to serve, decorate the tops by garnishing with fresh berries (I love blueberries and raspberries) and serve with homemade shortbread biscuits. Feel free to swap the shortbread for another biscuit of your choice, I think gingernuts would also pair fantastically with this dessert.
These creamy lemon pots will be perfect to welcome the arrival of spring next week, or dessert for Easter Sunday lunch and upcoming St. George’s Day in April, but they’re wonderful for all occasions.
(Makes 6)
Ingredients:
Lemon Posset:
600ml double cream
Zest and juice of 3 lemons
150g caster sugar
Shortbread:
125g unsalted butter, softened
55g caster sugar
180g plain flour
Method:
1. To make the lemon posset: Place the double cream, lemon zest and sugar in a large saucepan and on a medium heat gently bring the mixture up to the boil. Boil for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes take the pan off the heat and stir through the lemon juice. Now sieve the creamy mixture into a jug. Pour into 6 ramekins or small serving dishes/glasses and cover. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight if you want to make these in advance. Serve the lemon posset chilled.
3. To make the shortbread biscuits: Preheat your oven to 190°C / 170°C Fan / 375°F / Gas Mark 5. Cream the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Fold in the flour and mix into a soft dough. Now roll the dough out to approx. 1cm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a biscuit/cookie cutter of your choice, cut the dough into rounds or a shape of your choice. Sprinkle the top of each biscuit with extra caster sugar and then spread the biscuits out evenly on two large baking trays that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Chill the biscuits in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Once chilled, bake the shortbread for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Watch the biscuits closely nearing the end of the baking time as they can colour quickly. Allow the biscuits to cool on the trays for a few minutes and then transport them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Recipe Notes:
- Refer to this page for conversions.
- Be careful when boiling the posset mixture, make sure you’re using a large enough saucepan as this mixture could erupt and boil over if you take your eye off it.
- I recommend transferring the posset mixture into a jug when pouring into the serving dishes, this makes sure they’re really clean and neat. Allow the posset to cool a little at room temperature before chilling in the fridge – I left mine for about half an hour before refrigerating.
- This shortbread recipe yields approx. 20 biscuits, but this will depend on the size of your biscuit/cookie cutter. If you make smaller biscuits, baking time will be a few minutes less. The baked shortbread biscuits will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up 5 days and the lemon posset will keep for 3 days stored in the fridge.
Lemon posset recipe from The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook, shortbread recipe from BBC Food
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I’ve never heard of or had a posset before, but anything lemony with those cute shortbread cookies for dunking sounds good to me!
I’m not familiar with possets, but I clearly need to learn because these look awesome, Jess! I wish we celebrated St. George’s Day here in the States…if nothing else than for the fact that it would be a great excuse to make this tasty dessert. Well done!!
It looks so nice! Love your photos and your presentation! Lemons are so refreshing, this dessert is for me!
I love learning about English treats from you, Jess! I have never heard of a posset before but would love to try one! And keep bringing on the lemon recipes!
Jess, these look absolutely gorgeous. The photos are simply stunning.
I have a blogging question that I hope you can answer. How do you get the pin button at in the corner of your images, I would love to know? Many thanks Julie. x
Found the answer, I simply needed to switch to the official buttons. xx
Sorry for the late reply, I’m glad you found it! 🙂
I haven’t heard of possets before, but they look delicious. Love how easy the recipe looks too!
What a classy and easy dessert!! Just looks delicious and creamy! I love the crunchy touch of the cookies.
Yum! I need to make this ASAP. Pinning!
I love recipes like this! Easy but look so impressive and elegant!!! Beautiful lemon possets!!!
Berries and short bread? I can’t ask for more! Love these desserts! Happy St. George’s Day!
This looks lovely and like something I would love! I’d never heard of a posset before now, but I want to try my hand at making some!
Lemon desserts are my absolute favorite! I’ve never tried lemon possets before but they sound delicious and I love how pretty they look!
Superb! It must be amazing!!
Jessica – These are absolutely beautiful! I love the backstory behind the china. I’ve never heard of St. George’s Day, but I’m digging your celebratory dessert. 🙂
I’ve never heard of possets before but yours are gorgeous. I need to learn to make this soon!
This is one gorgeous lemon dessert! I’ve never tried possets before but it looks like an awesome pudding and I am crushing here. 😀
I’ve never heard of a posset before but it sounds so easy to whip up and so delicious! I’m a sucker for anything accompanied by shortbread, so this recipe is a definite winner. My mom grew up in Wimbledon, do you ever make strawberries and cream? I had it a while back when I visited and the cream was so luscious and rich! I would love to recreate it for her sometime.
Love the look of these – and how easy they are to make! Love desserts like this, especially in the summer time, yum yum!
These possets are gorgeous in those beautiful tea mugs — you did such a lovely job! This looks like one delicious dessert, Jess!
So beautiful, creamy and delicious. I adore desserts like this!
I have never tasted posset before, but they sound just lovely! So perfect for this time of year. Love!
This looks so delicious! I love the creamy lemon goodness! A more sophisticated way to get that lemon-curd-out-of-the-jar fix (is that only me?) 🙂
What a delicate treat! I like the idea of serving this fresh dessert in elegant china tea cups!
These lemon desserts are SO pretty! Love the raspberries.
What a lovely touch of history and tradition Jess!
These look awesome! I loved the way you presented the dessert, it looks perfect on the tea cups! 😀
YUM!! So good. I would love to make these.
This is a bliss and it really looks good and delicious. Keep sharing your lemon recipes.