Thursday, July 15, 2021

Lemon Posset with Berries and Grand Marnier

Lemon posset is a deliciously refreshing dessert for summer because it's served chilled, but great at any time of year using whatever berries you can find. You know how I love do-ahead desserts, especially when you're entertaining and have a lot of other things to do!  Lemon posset actually needs to be made at least several hours ahead of time for the cream to fully thicken and set so making it the day before is best.  


Last spring, after my husband and I were fully vaccinated, we traveled to Georgia to visit good friends who were also vaccinated.  One night, they hosted a dinner party and one of the guests brought this dessert.  We loved it so much I asked for the recipe.  Thank you, Debbi!  When we were recently invited to dinner at a friend's home,  I offered to bring dessert and made Debbi's lemon posset.  Everyone loved it and also requested the recipe.  

Posset gets it's name from an old-time English drink dating back to the Middle Ages made by curdling milk with spiced wine or ale.  Thank goodness, it is more commonly known today as a creamy, pudding-like dessert made by boiling cream and sugar and adding lemon juice and zest or other citrus flavors.  That's it!  No temperamental eggs or gelatin, flour or cornstarch needed to thicken it. Many Americans have never encountered posset but it's so delicious and fairly easy to make that I think it will become very popular.  This recipe is based on one by Ina Garten, and we all know her recipes are wonderful!  


This particular recipes uses cream, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and limoncello to make the posset.  If you have a good liquor store near you, you can find small bottles of limoncello which hold at least 3 tablespoons, enough for this recipe.  Our Total Wine had several varieties to choose from.  I was also able to find a very small bottle of Grand Marnier for the berry topping.  The Grand Marnier and sugar-soaked berries are so delicious with each spoonful! 


I made some pecan shortbread cookies to go along with the posset but store bought pirouettes would also be a lovely garnish, although neither is really necessary as this is a satisfying dessert on its own.  

I hope you give it try!  

Lemon Posset with Berries and Grand Marnier


The Lemon Posset should be prepared the day before serving in order for the custard to fully set. 

Hands On Preparation Time, 20 minutes
Servings: 6  

Note:  I needed 8 Servings so I increased the recipe, ingredient amounts for 8 in parentheses. I used strawberries and raspberries but any berries would also work well. 

3 cups (4-1/2) heavy cream
1 cup (1-1/2) plus 2 (3) tablespoons sugar
1 (1-1/2) tablespoon lemon zest (2 to 3 lemons)
¼ (1/2) teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ (1/3 c plus 2-2/3 T) cup lemon juice
2 (3) tablespoons limoncello liqueur
1 (1-1/2) cup fresh raspberries, picked over
1 (1-1/2) cup sliced fresh strawberries
3 T Grand Marnier (or limoncello)

Combine the cream, 1 (1-1/2) cup of the sugar, the lemon zest, and salt in a medium saucepan.* Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Lower heat to a vigorous simmer and cook 6 minutes, without stirring.  Watch the mixture carefully. If it begins to boil up toward the edge, take the pan off the heat for a few seconds before continuing to simmer.

Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and limoncello and set aside for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a 4-cup glass measuring cup, pressing on zest to release as much liquid as possible. Discard zest. Divide mixture evenly among six (or eight) 8- to 10-ounce glasses or bowls.  Allow to cool on the counter and then refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, either overnight or up to 3 days.

Thirty minutes before serving, combine raspberries, strawberries, the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and 3 T Grand Marnier (or limoncello) in a bowl and allow to macerate. To serve, spoon the berries and their juices onto the custards.

*Don't use a saucepan smaller than 6 inches round and 5 inches tall.

22 comments:

  1. Your lemon posset sounds heavenly, Susan, and even more heavenly with the berries! I'd love to try this recipe, and yes Ina's recipes are winners. I made her lemon pasta recipe for a tea party with Ella the other day. I must look up your pecan shortbread recipe, too.
    Your photos are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Kitty! This would be a fun dessert for you to make for one of your tea parties with your grands, if they like lemon. ♥

      Delete
  2. I love the name and how refreshing looking!I saw Inas garden on Instagram today….sigh🌸I’ve made your pecan shortbreads!!!💫💫💫💫💫

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even though it's made with cream it actually is refreshing! When I brought the shortbread to the dinner party a couple of weeks ago the humidity had made them soft :( I guess the lesson is not to make them on a humid day. Ina's garden or Ina Garten, or both? LOL.

      Delete
  3. Honora here- Oh my goodness but that looks good!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. So fruity and summery! And I love the easy no fuss preparation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I loved the do-ahead preparation, which is a necessity with this one! Makes the day so much less hectic when you only have to cut up the strawberries. ♥

      Delete
  5. Very pretty with the berries:@)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lynn! It is an impressive-looking dessert. When the friend in Georgia served it she used white lion's head soup bowls. It was so pretty!

      Delete
  6. WOW! This posset sounds delicious and so easy to make too! We love the fact there's no gelatin in this dessert. Looks amazing! Have to try it Susan, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know you love lemon too, Anna, so I think you would love this! ♥

      Delete
  7. A lovely light citrus pudding is always a winner. This looks delicious. thanks for sharing, Pauline

    ReplyDelete
  8. These possets looks wonderful dear Susan, I love berries allways!!! hugs and love

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Gloria! The combination of lemon and berries is wonderful ♥ Warm hugs, Dear.

      Delete
  9. Looks amazing! And so perfect for the summer.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lemon posset reminds me of panna cotta which I love. Can't wait to give this a try, am pinning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Karen! Yes, very similar but without any gelatin added. So simple and wonderful! Thanks so much for pinning too!

      Delete
  11. I couldn't find limoncello anywhere near where we were camping, so made it without and it was soft and heavenly. Macerated the fruit for longer and it was fabulous. My husband doesn't care for anything lemon but he ate TWO of these.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for letting me know that lemon juice works just as well without the limoncello! I can imagine this with cooked and sweetened cranberries or cherries for the holidays. ♥

      Delete

I appreciate your comment!