Lemon Posset

[Shel_B]

Lemon Posset ... what could be simpler, right.  It's a dessert I just recently learned of, and I've been reading numerous on line recipes and techniques.  In the next day or so I'm going to make my first batch.  However, I thought I'd ask for any tips or techniques that you may have used that give good results.

 

For example, most recipes I've read call for using granulated sugar, but one or two suggested using castor or superfine sugar, reasoning that the finer sugar dissolves more quickly and eliminates the possibility of the posset being grainy.  That makes sense, but is it necessary?  Granulated sugar seems like it may need more cooking time to properly dissolve.  I looked in several markets for superfine sugar and couldn't find any, so, if using it really results in a better product, I'll continue looking.

 

One or two recipes call for reducing the cream/sugar mixture, while most don't.  CI's recipe calls for a rather long cooking time and a rather substantial reduction of the mixture.  How important is it for the mixture to be reduced vs just being heated and mixed long enough for the sugar to be dissolved?

 

Anyway, you get the picture ... I'm open to suggestions from those of you who have perfected your posset techniques.

[Deryn]

If you have a really good blender, you can take regular sugar and whirl it up a bit to create 'superfine' sugar. For small amounts, it might also work to use a (clean) coffee grinder though I have never tried that.

[blue_dolphin]

Lemon Posset?  Sounds like an old timey cough and cold remedy to me  so I had to look it up.  Interesting.  

 

If you've been researching, no doubt you have seen this "How to make the perfect lemon posset" but I thought I'd add it here as I usually enjoy reading that "How to cook the perfect...." series.

And I thought the idea of making a syrup from the sugar and lemon juice sounded like a good way to avoid grainy sugar. 

[ElsieD]

I recall hearing about posset somewhere but couldn't place it so thanks, blue_dolphin for the link.  I love lemony things so I hope someone who has made it will chime in. And, Shel_B, nice to see you posting again.

[ElsieD]

I made a lemon posset the other day using the cream, sugar and lemon juice quantities stated in blue_dolphin's link.  However, after googling about for posset, I did the following as per Gordon Ramsey:

Heat the cream with the sugar and boil for 3 minutes.  The sugar dissolved very quickly.  I added the lemon juice, let it cool for a few minutes and poured it into glass jars.  When cooled to room temperature I put them in the fridge.  We each had one last night and found the texture very soft.  You could almost drink it.  That surprised me a bit because I read in one place what to do with it if it set too firmly, so I was expecting sort of a custard/pudding thickness.  Now, I have never made it so maybe it is supposed to be like this?  I really liked it but would prefer a firmer set.  Shel_B, did you make it?

[Shel_B]

18 hours ago, ElsieD said:

I made a lemon posset the other day using the cream, sugar and lemon juice quantities stated in blue_dolphin's link.  However, after googling about for posset, I did the following as per Gordon Ramsey:

Heat the cream with the sugar and boil for 3 minutes.  The sugar dissolved very quickly.  I added the lemon juice, let it cool for a few minutes and poured it into glass jars.  When cooled to room temperature I put them in the fridge.  We each had one last night and found the texture very soft.  You could almost drink it.  That surprised me a bit because I read in one place what to do with it if it set too firmly, so I was expecting sort of a custard/pudding thickness.  Now, I have never made it so maybe it is supposed to be like this?  I really liked it but would prefer a firmer set.  Shel_B, did you make it?

 

Hi ... I'm out of town and won't have a chance to do any cooking or play in my kitchen for about a week.  However, I am glad you made the posset and that you posted your results.  While researching recipes I found that some people felt their recipes were a bit thin, as you described.  CI has a recipe in which the cream is cooked down a bit, and the recipe writer suggests that by reducing the cream the posset gets thicker.  I will try that technique when I make my posset, and will also experiment with the amounts of sugar.  I believe that by adjusting the sugar, the dessert can be made thicker or thinner.  According to the CI recipe developer, the less sugar in the mix, the thinner and looser the dessert was.

 

Having looked at Ramsay's recipe, I decided that I didn't want to use it because I thought it may be thinner and less than what I'm looking for.

 

Here's my plan: I can get 40%+ butterfat cream here, and I'll use two cups of that.  The CI recipe calls for 2/3 cup of sugar, but I plan to use a little less, and will start with 5 Tbs of lemon juice + some zest.  I'll cook the cream with sugar until it's reduced to two cups, about 8 - 10 minutes, then, off heat, add the lemon juice and zest.  When a skin forms I'll strain the mixture into ramekins and chill for a few hours.  This will be my starting point.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2016 by Shel_B (log)

[ElsieD]

We can't get 40% cream here, only 35%.  I found the CI article on-line but not the recipe itself but from what I could tell reading the article, here's what they say to do:  boil 3 cups of cream, 2/3 cups of sugar and 1 T of lemon zest until it reduces to 2 cups.  Add 6 T of lemon juice, let this steep for 20 minutes, strain and transfer to serving dishes.  Chill.

 

I really did like the flavour so I am going to try this again as soon as I get more cream.  Their suggested serving size is 1/3 cup which seems about right as it is very rich.  It would likely be very nice served with a raspberry coulis and some fresh raspberries.  Once I try this, I'll post again.

[RichardJones]

If you want a thicker set, a tip which hasn't been mentioned so far is to reduce the lemon juice. That gives you an intense lemon flavour without the dilution. In addition, make sure you leave it to set for long enough. In the Guardian article she recommends 'a couple of hours'. I would suggest at least overnight for a firm set.

 

I'd also recommend serving it with some shortbread which will give you some texture and sweetness which work well with the smooth, tart cream.

[ElsieD]

55 minutes ago, RichardJones said:

If you want a thicker set, a tip which hasn't been mentioned so far is to reduce the lemon juice. That gives you an intense lemon flavour without the dilution. In addition, make sure you leave it to set for long enough. In the Guardian article she recommends 'a couple of hours'. I would suggest at least overnight for a firm set.

 

I'd also recommend serving it with some shortbread which will give you some texture and sweetness which work well with the smooth, tart cream.

 

I used 100 ml lemon juice.  How much do you suggest I reduce it by?  That was used with 2 1/4 cups cream.

I like the idea of having cookies with it and will do so once I get the posset to set up a little firmer.  I saw one recipe for a cookie that had a depression in it that was filled with lemon curd.  Looked interesting.  Is gelatin ever used in posset or is that a no-no?  

[RichardJones]

This is at the limits of my chemistry but I don't think that reducing lemon juice will affect its power to set the cream so in a sense it's up to you. (I'd be happy to be corrected on that point!) What I do know from experience is that I've happily reduced the lemon juice in a reliable recipe (Claire Clark's) by half and had excellent results.

 

The point of the posset, as it were, is that the lemon juice sets the cream. If you set cream with gelatin you have a panna cotta! However, there's nothing at all to stop you adding some gelatin if you want a product firmer than lemon juice alone can offer. But the joy of both a good posset and panna cotta as far as I'm concerned is that they are only just set.

[Shel_B]

On ‎3‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 6:01 AM, ElsieD said:

 

I used 100 ml lemon juice.  How much do you suggest I reduce it by?  That was used with 2 1/4 cups cream.

I like the idea of having cookies with it and will do so once I get the posset to set up a little firmer.  I saw one recipe for a cookie that had a depression in it that was filled with lemon curd.  Looked interesting.  Is gelatin ever used in posset or is that a no-no?  

 

This should help you ...

 

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/173-introducing-lemon-posset

Edited March 19, 2016 by Shel_B (log)

[Fernwood]

On March 15, 2016 at 10:58 AM, ElsieD said:

We can't get 40% cream here, only 35%.  I found the CI article on-line but not the recipe itself but from what I could tell reading the article, here's what they say to do:  boil 3 cups of cream, 2/3 cups of sugar and 1 T of lemon zest until it reduces to 2 cups.  Add 6 T of lemon juice, let this steep for 20 minutes, strain and transfer to serving dishes.  Chill.

Does the CI recipe call for 3 cups cream, or 2 cups?  3 cups cream + ⅔ cup sugar reduced to 2 cups seems like a lot of reduction to me.  

[Shel_B]

3 minutes ago, Fernwood said:

Does the CI recipe call for 3 cups cream, or 2 cups?  3 cups cream + ⅔ cup sugar reduced to 2 cups seems like a lot of reduction to me.  

 

2 cups cream + 2/3 cup sugar reduced to 2 cups.

[weinoo]

I made the lemon posset from CI, at a friend's apartment where I was cooking dinner for 6, and it came out great...everyone oohed and ahhed at both its texture and flavor.

 

Usually, if I'm going to serve something that I haven't made before (for a dinner party), I'll try it on myself first. And cooking at someone else's apartment, where I've never cooked before, is also chance-y (and believe me, this apartment, while beautiful, didn't exactly have a wonderfully stocked kitchen). But I figured the dessert was quite simple, so why not give it a shot? 

 

This dessert will go into my repertoire. Consider the actual prep and cooking time is about 45 minutes totals, it's a no-brainer. For what it's worth, I followed the CI directions exactly.

 

Now, will it work in a similar manner with other citrus?  Like orange, or lime, or kiwi, or even mango?

 

 

[JeanneCake]

I want to make the CI Lemon Posset, and I have all the magazines but of course, I can't find the one with the recipe in it.  Could someone please PM the recipe or a screen shot of it to me if posting the recipe isn't allowed by their or our rules? Thanks....

[ElsieD]

@JeanneCake  I sent you a PM.