Lemon Posset Recipe with Vanilla Bean: The Perfect Summertime Dessert

Preview: This Lemon Posset recipe is a cool and refreshing dessert requiring no oven or complicated cooking skills. Cream, vanilla bean paste, and lemon are the star players.

The recipe for Lemon Posset reminds me of a cross between creme brûlée custard (without the tricky sugar crust) and ice cream (but it’s not frozen). No ice cream freezer, oven, or torch needed.

If you need a dessert to go with a heavy meal, this is it. Love on your family and friends with this light but satisfying dessert.

This posset was a big hit at our family dinner last weekend. Even the little kids ate it up.

lemon posset in serving dishes, garnished with raspberries, sprinkled with powdered sugar

Wondering how to pronounce “posset”?

Me, too! You can listen to it here.

FAQ about Posset?

What is a posset made of?

A posset is made of heavy cream, sugar, an acid like lemon juice, and sometimes additional flavorings. No eggs or gelatin is added. No baking is required.

What sets a posset?

The acid in the lemon juice sets the heavy cream.

Can I make posset ahead of time?

Yes. Your posset will need time to chill after you make it. Make at least 3-4 hours before you want to serve it.

Can I substitute half-and-half for heavy cream?

No, the fat content in heavy cream helps to make this posset thick. It won’t be the same if you use something else.

lemon posset, vanilla bean, dessert, easy, light, summer, ladies, luncheon

How to make Lemon Posset:

Bring heavy cream and sugar to a boil to transform the sweetened cream mixture into a velvety, thickened sauce. Add lemon juice to set and flavor the posset.

Strain the sauce while pouring it into individual serving dishes to keep it silky smooth to the tongue. The posset will set and firm up as it chills.

Garnish with raspberries, blueberries, or whatever fruit you can find that tastes and looks good. Raspberries are my personal favorite as they play well with lemon.

The optional powdered sugar adds a fancy touch with no special decorating skills required. Place a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar into a small grocery-store-type-strainer and gently tap the edge to make an even shower of “snow”.

Recipe notes:

Try a couple of tablespoons of Lemon and Vanilla Bean Posset mixed with some unflavored Greek or Icelandic yogurt for a scrumptious lemon yogurt treat.
I love vanilla bean paste! Unfortunately, vanilla has gotten a lot more expensive lately so my habit has been curbed, but not completely snuffed. Using speck-heavy vanilla paste is so much easier than scraping a softened and split vanilla bean. In my area, I can buy it at Central Market, Williams-Sonoma, and of course, online. Try it in ice cream, pudding, custards, yogurt…actually, any dessert where you want to see the little black specks.

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Did you enjoy this recipe? You can help others (and me) by leaving a rating on the recipe card itself underneath the picture. No comment required. Thank you.

Hope to see you again soon!
Paula

p.s. Questions? Email me: paula at saladinajar.com.

Yield: 8 servings