Lemon Brûlée Posset Delight (Printable Version)

Silky lemon cream with a crisp caramelized sugar top served in lemon shells for a refreshing treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cream Base

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 2/3 cup caster sugar
03 - Zest of 2 lemons

→ Lemon Juice

04 - 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from approximately 2–3 lemons)

→ Serving

05 - 6 large lemons (halved and hollowed for shells)

→ Brûlée Topping

06 - 6–8 teaspoons caster sugar

# How to Make:

01 - Halve the 6 large lemons lengthwise. Carefully juice and scoop out the flesh, preserving the shells. Trim a small slice off the bottom of each shell to ensure they stand upright. Refrigerate the shells until needed.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, caster sugar, and lemon zest. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Allow to simmer gently for 3 minutes without boiling over, then remove from heat.
03 - Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice; the mixture will thicken slightly. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then strain to remove the zest for a smooth texture.
04 - Carefully pour the warm lemon cream mixture into the prepared lemon shells, filling them close to the rim.
05 - Refrigerate the filled lemon shells for at least 3 hours, allowing the mixture to set properly.
06 - Just before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of caster sugar evenly on each posset. Use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelize the sugar until crisp. Let it harden for 2–3 minutes before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but it's genuinely quick—most of the time is just chilling in the fridge.
  • That brûlée topping gives you the joy of wielding a blowtorch, plus the satisfying crack of caramelized sugar against cool, creamy custard.
  • The tartness of fresh lemon keeps it from feeling heavy, making it the perfect way to end a meal without leaving you stuffed.
02 -
  • Don't skip the straining step—leaving zest in creates a grainy texture instead of that silky smoothness that makes posset special.
  • The lemon juice thickens the cream because of the acidity, not because you're cooking it further, so fresh juice with real acid is absolutely essential.
  • Timing your brûlée topping matters—do it too far ahead and it goes soft again, but done just before serving, that crunch is unforgettable.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester for the lemon zest—it creates those delicate, flavorful strands that get trapped beautifully in the cream.
  • If the posset hasn't set after 3 hours, you likely used juice that wasn't acidic enough; next time, add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice to the warm mixture before it cools.
  • Chill your serving bowls or shells before filling them—this helps the posset set faster and keeps the texture perfectly silky.
Go Back