Lemon Brûlée Posset Dessert (Printer-Friendly)

Luxurious lemon cream with caramelized sugar topping, chilled in lemon shells for a refreshing treat.

# What You Need:

→ Cream Base

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

→ Lemon Juice

04 - 6 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2–3 lemons)

→ Serving

05 - 6 large lemons, halved and hollowed for shells

→ Brûlée Topping

06 - 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar for caramelizing

# How to Cook:

01 - Slice 6 large lemons in half lengthwise. Carefully juice and scoop out the flesh, preserving the shells. Trim a thin slice from the bottom of each shell to allow them to stand upright. Refrigerate the shells until needed.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, caster sugar, and lemon zest. Heat over medium flame, stirring until sugar dissolves. Maintain a gentle boil and simmer for 3 minutes without overflowing, then remove from heat.
03 - Stir freshly squeezed lemon juice into the cream mixture. The mixture will thicken slightly. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh to remove zest for a smooth texture.
04 - Gently pour the warm mixture into the prepared lemon shells, filling close to the rim.
05 - Place filled lemon shells in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to fully set.
06 - Sprinkle about 1 tsp caster sugar evenly over each set posset. Using a kitchen blowtorch, caramelize the sugar until crisp and golden. Allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture impossibly smooth and silky feels like eating a cloud that decided to be lemon flavored
  • Guests always gasp when you bring out whole hollowed lemons like some kind of kitchen wizardry
  • That first crackle of the burnt sugar top is deeply satisfying in ways I cannot fully explain
  • Requires zero gelatin no thermometer and forgives many distractions
02 -
  • The acid to cream ratio is scientifically precise for setting. Too little juice and it will not set properly. Too much and the texture becomes grainy rather than smooth.
  • Chilling time is not flexible here. I attempted to rush the process once and paid the price with unset soup that still tasted delicious but lacked that luxurious structure.
  • The brûlée topping must be done immediately before serving. After an hour the sugar begins to weep and that perfect crackle dissolves into something disappointing and sticky.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly. I take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before starting.
  • If you lack a kitchen torch the broiler works in a pinch. Watch constantly as sugar goes from perfectly caramelized to burned in seconds.
  • The hollowed lemon shells can be prepared several hours ahead and refrigerated until ready to fill.
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