Creamy sweet-sour lemon posset is a favourite dinner party pudding because it’s easy to shop for, takes five minutes to make and will sit happily in the fridge for a couple of days. It sets almost instantly but should be served chilled. I’ve winged it with 45 minutes, although a couple of hours is better. The only important point is using a large saucepan so the cream and sugar can boil without fear of accidents. This fluffy plum puree is a stunning almost healthy counterbalance.
Serves 6-8
Prep: 15 min plus chilling
Cook: 15 min
600ml double cream
150g caster sugar
2 lemons
400g plums
50g white sugar
Tip the cream into a deep saucepan over a medium heat. Add 150g sugar, stirring until melted. Boil steadily for 3 minutes exactly. Remove from the heat. Remove paper-thin long strips of zest from half one lemon and set aside. Squeeze the juice into a measuring jug; you want 100ml. Whisk the juice into the cooked cream then pour back into the jug for easy decanting into pretty glasses or ramekins. Don’t fill to the top; you want space for the puree. Cool, cover with clingfilm and chill. Place the lemon zest in a lidded pan with the plums sliced off the stones. Add 50g sugar and 150ml water. Simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until virtually disintegrating. Liquidize. Pass through a sieve into a bowl. Cool. Skim the possets with cooled plum puree, as much or little as you fancy. Re-chill, covered, until required.