Your Weekly Voilà: My easy peasy posset dessert recipe 😊💕

PASSION • CREATIVITY • INSPIRATION

Be cheerful knight. Thou shalt eat a posset tonight.

- William Shakespeare, Hamlet

The simple posset is making a coming back. Dating back to the middle ages, this English custard meets pudding is simple to make and elegant to serve. It's made with only four ingredients: Honey. Cream. Lemon juice. Flower blossoms or spices. Voilà! That's it. There are no egg yolks, gelatin, flour, or cornstarch. The lemon juice does all the thickening and sets the custard. The result is nothing short of divine magic.

And because we adore all things French, let's add a bit of lavender from the balcony garden to our simple and modern recipe.

You can make a lovely posset with lilac flowers, rose petals, or elderflower. But for a bit of French flair, lavender is my "go-to" choice in summer.

To be fair, the posset that Shakespeare offered his knight is very different from the recipe I'm going to share. In those days, it was more a drink made from curdled milk, sugar, and a fortified sweet wine similar to sherry. The alcohol did the thickening job of the lemon juice. Sometimes ginger or rose water was used to flavor the beverage. Think of it as a nighttime beverage, rather than a dessert.

In 14th and 15th-century cooking manuals, a "possenet" was a small saucepan. By the beginning of the 16th century, an English posset was thickened with egg yolks and served in a chaffing dish. It was often billed as a "restorative" food to fortify the body and banish illness. An early 19th-century recipe states that the addition of black pepper would "promote perspiration" in order to sweat out a fever. I suppose there are healing and anti-inflammatory properties in certain flowers, but I think the heavy cream negates any healthy benefits in a modern posset recipe. Delicious to be sure . . . but definitely a "sometimes" food.

An early English posset pot. You would use a spoon to eat the top custard layers and then drink the alcohol at the bottom through the spout.

Possets were often served at weddings. A favorite recipe was a Rose Posset made with rose brandy and yarrow infused honey. The symbolism behind the dessert ensured love, fidelity, and marital bliss. Sometimes, a wedding ring was hidden in the posset and whoever found it was the next to be wed.

Honey Flower-Infused Posset

INGREDIENTS

2 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. lemon juice
2 T. lavender buds or up to 1 c. fresh flower blossoms such as lilac, elderflower, or rose petals and buds

Dash of salt & cardamon (optional)

Remove flowers from their stems. The greenery interferes with the delicate floral taste. Be sure they have not been sprayed with pesticides. Wash and dry to remove any critters.
Mix the honey into the cream and heat to a gentle boil over medium-high heat stirring constantly.
Reduce to simmer for 3 minutes and keep stirring.
Add the lemon juice and yes . . . continue stirring.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Add the prepared flowers and allow to infuse for 15 or 20 minutes.
Stain off flowers and pour cream mixture into small jars or ramekins.
Cover tightly and chill for 2+ hours or overnight in order to ensure the best set. Makes approximately 4-6 servings depending on jar or ramekin size.

Some posset recipes call for more lemon juice. I find that 1-2 lemons depending on size is enough. Adjust the amount to suit your taste. Too much and you're eating lemon curd with a spoon. You lose the subtle sweetness of the cream and the delicate floral taste. Yet, not enough lemon juice and your posset won't set properly. The same is true for the amount of honey you add. Create the sweetness you desire. You can also use sugar instead of honey. But I find the texture is not as silky. All in all, the recipe is fairly flexible.

If I want just a fresh lemon posset for a summertime treat, I skip the flowers and add a bit of lemon and lime juice, and some lemon zest to the mix. It gives the dessert a lovely citrus characteristic. Top with candied orange peel. I also infuse fresh ginger in the cream and top with edible crystalized violets.

One last note: If you are worried about bubbles, tap the dish on the counter before popping it into the fridge. Problem solved.

You can use a variety of flower blossoms. Lilac is perfect for a Mother's Day treat. It's a bit tedious removing all the flowers from their stems and washing them, but the final result is worth the effort. By the by, I reuse these glass yogurt jars for so many things. They hold votive candles for an alfresco dinner or various colors of buttons. And yes - they are perfect for possets.

The posset has a home in my French kitchen. It is a simple and refreshing summertime treat. Guests always think I have fussed when nothing is further from the truth. Easy and delicious. It doesn't get much better than that.

Try a honey posset this weekend.
It just might become your "go-to" entertaining dessert.

À bientôt mon amie,
Karen 😋🥄💕✨🇫🇷