Once again Jennifer (Delicieux) is hosting this months “Sweet Adventures Blog Hop” and the theme,“lemons.” I was ready to submit an earlier post on the magical stages of a developing lemon... when I just realized no older posts would be accepted on the blog hop…darn!
A quick re-think and a scan over some ingredients already stocked in the kitchen… lemon posset came to mind.
Lemon posset is a dessert based on a very old British medieval drink called a posset. This drink was made by heating milk, then curdling with an acid such as wine or ale. The hot posset was also used for minor aliments such as the common cold and was often spiced with ginger and aniseed.
Even William Shakespeare’s Macbeth makes reference to this medieval drink when Lady Macbeth uses poisoned possets to knock out the guards outside Duncan’s palace
“The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms
Do mock their charge with snores. I have drugg’d their possets
That death and nature do contend about them,
Whether they live or die.”
Fast forward to the 20th century and posset is a smooth and luxurious tangy-sweet lemony thickened cream that is chilled and best served in small quantities. A super easy do-ahead dessert for dinner parties. Like Lady Macbeth I hope to knock out (figuratively speaking) my guests by “drugg’d their (my guests) possets“ with this deliriously lemony dessert shooter with a hint of fresh garden thyme.
Lemon and Fresh Thyme Posset Shooters
Ingredients:
- 250ml double cream or whipping cream (min fat 35%)
- 75g granulated sugar
- 5 sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)
- zest half of a lemon
- juice of one lemon
- thyme leaves to garnish and/or some grated lemon zest
You will need 6 small shot type glasses, the recipe can easily be doubled if you require a larger quantity.
How to make:
Pour the cream into a heavy based saucepan. Add the sugar and fresh thyme. Over a medium heat dissolve the sugar in the cream while stirring continuously. Let the cream come to a gentle boil (do not let the cream boil over), reduce the heat and simmer the cream for three minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the lemon juice (this will thicken the cream) and lemon zest. Let cool for about 5 minutes, remove the thyme sprigs and pour into 6 small shot glasses. Once cool cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours (will thicken further) or overnight.
Before serving (straight from the fridge) scatter over a few thyme leaves and/or grated lemon zest.
Note: Do not use cream that has a lower fat content than 35% or the cream will curdle when you add the lemon juice. Ideally double cream which has a much higher fat content should be used which will result in a creamier and thicker setting posset.
Using a microplane zester (my star zester) will give the best results for obtaining a very fine grating of lemon zest.
This post is part of the “Sweet Adventures Blog Hop,” click (here) and check out all the other lemon dessert entries!
Food and Tools 
Nice one Moya… guess what I have just finished making! I even have a close up of lemon flowers on my little bush. Well done!
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Well I know one ingredient… lemons! 🙂 Look forward to the photographs and your dessert!
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Aha…. it was lemon posset. I will hold it over to another time. Love your post!
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Thanks Lizzy… they say great minds think alike! Why not post it?
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Great minds do think alike… and I did tell you that we are kindred spirits! I will see how the photos come up. The light was very bad here tonight… I don’t really want to make it all again at the weekend.
I say again, love your work!
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Food photography and light… can be tricky! Sure we had about 40 Pavlovas posts, what’s another posset post! Thanks for your kind words Lizzy. 🙂
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Interestingly, they didn’t turn out… I followed a Sophie Grigson recipe to the letter and yet was left with a layer of lard like substance on the top, while the underneath was indeed quite yummy. Not sure why. Used top quality double cream. So, definitely won’t be running with that one. Yours look like just the ticket though.
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It may have been the fat percentage of the cream used! The cream I used had a 35%min fat content which resulted in a softer setting posset. I am sure the fat content of cream varies from country to country! Looking forward to seeing your lemon post! 🙂
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Thanks Moya! I never knew what a posset was! This sounds super yummy. And one of these days, I’m adding a microplane zester to my kitchen drawer!
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Casey, definitely buy yourself a microplane zester, a really worthwhile kitchen tool. No more bitter white pith, just pure zest! 🙂
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The thyme is optional and will taste just as delicious without! I agree, the medieval posset does not appeal to me either! The microplane zesters are the best and I highly recommend this kitchen tool for zesting citrus fruits. 🙂
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What a gorgeous recipes Moya! And I absolutely adore that first photo, it’s so beautiful. Thyme is one of my favourite herbs as I just think it’s so pretty with it’s small delicate leaves.
Thanks for joining this blog hop event 😀
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Thanks Jennifer, I was pleased with that photograph too! Yes thyme is a very pretty herb which has a wonderful scent and great flavour! As always happy to join the blog hop! 🙂
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Moya, I think you are quite right. The fat content will have caused the posset to form that ‘lid’ of lard. I will have to look around for another double cream, but I think they are all very high in fat content. I have something else up my sleeve. ; )
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Rich indeed – the addition of thyme sounds fabulous 🙂 I am in awe of your lemon tree pics – brilliant patience (or memory!) to capture the stages. Thanks for joining!
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Moya, I was delighted with my lemon and passionfruit custards, but I still think your posset shooter would be yummy!
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I love that you call your kitchen gadgets jewellery! I LOVE my microplane 🙂
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I could not agree more with your words “LOVE my microplane”… an essential piece of jewellery in my kitchen! 🙂
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