Name: Lemon and Vanilla Bean Posset
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups heavy cream; 2/3 cup sugar; Juice of 2 lemons; 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or real vanilla extract); Powdered sugar for garnish

Lemon and Vanilla Bean Posset is a cool and refreshing dessert requiring no oven or complicated cooking skills. Cream, vanilla bean paste, and lemon are the star players. Nice after lunch or a heavy meal.

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

Recipe Inspiration

The recipe for Lemon and Vanilla Bean 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.

Bringing heavy cream to a boil transforms the sweetened cream mixture into a velvety, thickened sauce. Straining the sauce while pouring it into individual serving dishes keeps it silky smooth to the tongue. Chilling results in a firm texture.

With the start of school and other programs that take the summer off, luncheons seem to abound. Love on your friends with this light but satisfying dessert.

It’s totally simple and not just for women either. It was a big hit at our family dinner last weekend. Even the little kids ate it up.

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

How To Make Lemon Posset:

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 Secrets

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.

p.s. Wondering how to pronounce “posset”? Me, too! You can listen to it here.

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Blackberry Ice Cream with Chocolate Shards is a fruity ice cream studded with bittersweet chocolate pieces. Uncooked for easier assembly and a fresher taste.

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Thank you for visiting!
Paula