Lemon Posset is a luxurious yet simple dessert made with just cream, sugar, and lemon. Its silky-smooth custard-like texture and bright citrus flavor make it a refreshing choice for elegant dinners or casual gatherings. Served chilled in small glasses and often garnished with berries, this dessert is light, refined, and effortlessly delicious.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Minimal Ingredients: Only three core ingredients.
Elegant Yet Easy: Looks sophisticated but requires little effort.
Naturally Gluten-Free: Accessible to many dietary preferences.
Make-Ahead Friendly: Needs time to set, perfect for entertaining.
Bright & Creamy Flavor: A perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Luscious Lemon Posset

Lemon Posset is a dessert that proves simplicity can be the height of elegance. With just three essential ingredients—cream, sugar, and lemon—it transforms into something remarkably luxurious. The magic lies in the natural chemistry between cream and lemon juice, which allows the mixture to thicken into a smooth, custard-like consistency without the need for eggs or gelatin.

This dish has deep historical roots in British cuisine, originally enjoyed as a warm, spiced drink before evolving into the chilled custard-like dessert we know today. Its journey from medieval beverage to modern-day favorite is a fascinating reminder of how recipes adapt and refine across generations, while still maintaining their core essence of comfort and indulgence.

What makes Lemon Posset so appealing is its texture. It is rich and velvety, coating the spoon with creaminess, yet its flavor is lightened by the bright tang of lemon. This duality makes it irresistible—it satisfies the craving for richness while leaving you refreshed. Few desserts strike this balance as beautifully.

The process of making Lemon Posset is surprisingly straightforward. Cream and sugar are simmered together until slightly reduced, then lemon juice is added to set the mixture. Once cooled and chilled, the result is a dessert that feels as refined as any custard or mousse, but with a fraction of the effort. Its simplicity is its genius.

Presentation plays a key role in the allure of Lemon Posset. Served in small ramekins, glasses, or even shot glasses, it carries an air of sophistication that makes it perfect for dinner parties. A garnish of fresh berries or a twist of lemon peel adds visual appeal and a complementary burst of flavor. This is a dessert that invites creativity in how it is served, from minimalist chic to colorful and vibrant.

The flavor profile of Lemon Posset is timeless. Lemon’s natural acidity cuts through the richness of cream, preventing the dessert from feeling cloying. Instead, every spoonful feels balanced, with sweetness, tanginess, and creaminess playing together harmoniously. It’s the kind of dessert that lingers pleasantly on the palate without overwhelming.

Another reason for its enduring popularity is how well it suits make-ahead preparation. Since the dessert requires several hours to chill and set, it can be prepared a day or two in advance. This not only makes hosting easier but also ensures that the posset has developed its ideal texture and flavor by the time it is served.

For those who love experimenting in the kitchen, Lemon Posset also offers a canvas for variation. Infusing the cream with herbs like lavender or thyme before adding the lemon can create subtle, aromatic twists. Swapping lemon for lime or orange gives the dessert a fresh personality while keeping the method intact. These small changes allow you to make the recipe your own.

Lemon Posset’s elegance also lies in portion control. Because it is rich, serving it in smaller quantities makes it feel indulgent without excess. Guests appreciate the restraint of a petite portion that delivers maximum flavor without overwhelming, making it an ideal finale to a heavy meal.

This dessert also connects to the timeless appeal of custards, creams, and puddings that have comforted people for centuries. There is something universally satisfying about a chilled spoonful of creamy dessert, especially when it carries the brightness of citrus. It’s an experience that feels both familiar and refined.

The texture of Lemon Posset also sets it apart. Unlike gelatin-based desserts, which can feel rubbery, posset has a natural silkiness that feels luxurious on the tongue. This quality makes it memorable and keeps it a favorite in both home kitchens and fine dining establishments.

From a practical standpoint, Lemon Posset is nearly foolproof. With only a few steps and minimal equipment required, it’s accessible to cooks of all skill levels. At the same time, the finished result looks and tastes impressive, giving you a high return on effort invested.

Visually, it’s a dessert that enhances any table. The pale, creamy yellow base topped with a few jewel-like berries is understated yet stunning. It offers elegance without extravagance, proving that sometimes less truly is more.

Ultimately, Lemon Posset is a dessert that embodies grace, tradition, and comfort. It celebrates the marriage of just a few ingredients, transforming them into something extraordinary. In every spoonful, you taste not just cream and lemon, but the art of simplicity itself—a reminder that the finest pleasures in life are often the simplest ones.

Servings

Serves: 6 ramekins

Time

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup (132 g) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups blueberries or raspberries, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

In a saucepan, combine cream, sugar, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Boil gently, stirring often, until reduced to exactly 2 cups (about 8–12 minutes).
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let sit for 20 minutes until slightly cooled.
Strain mixture into a measuring cup or bowl, discarding zest.
Divide evenly among 6 ramekins or 12 small glasses.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours until fully set.
Garnish with berries and lemon peel before serving.

Tips

Measure Carefully: Reducing cream to exactly 2 cups ensures the right consistency.
Serve Small Portions: Its richness makes small servings ideal.
Flavor Variations: Try lime or orange juice instead of lemon.
Infuse Cream: Add lavender, rosemary, or thyme during simmering for herbal notes.
Make Ahead: Keeps up to 2 days in the refrigerator.