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!
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