The posset originated in 15th-century England as a warming drink and consisted of milk or cream curdled with citrus juice or ale and flavoured with spices, sugar and herbs. Some possets included eggs, similar to eggnog.

Posset was believed to have medicinal properties and often used as a remedy for colds and ailments. It was served in a special cup with a small spout on the side so the liquid could be drunk from beneath the foam.

In the 19th century, the original posset drink became extinct but the name was revived for a new, cold-set dessert. The modern posset is made from cream, sugar and citrus and has a texture similar to panna cotta and lemon curd. It is not baked and relies on citrus acid to set the dessert whilst panna cotta uses gelatine to thicken the cream.

Rather than use bog standard lemons I’m using pink lemons which are fragrant, slightly floral with an unusual green-striped rind and pink-tinged flesh. The pink is due to a high concentration of lycopene, an antioxidant compound that gives many fruit and vege a red/pink pigment e.g. makes grapefruit pink and tomatoes red. It was discovered as a sport on an ordinary Eureka lemon tree in Burbank, California in 1931. It is cultivated nowadays in the Med, Australia and parts of Asia but on a limited scale.

Posset is proper old school and cherished for its simplicity and elegance. It is rich so is served in a small dish, glass or teacup and topped with berries and/or served with shortbread. #January2026