GRAPEFRUIT POSSET

My discovery of posset began with a conversation I had with a bakery owner. We somehow got on the topic of lilikoi (passion fruit), and I told him some of the ways I use the abundance of lilikoi we get every year. He was very familiar with the fruit. He mentioned that I had to try making a lilikoi posset. Not knowing what a posset was, I asked. He smiled and said, “Google it.” You won’t regret it!” Boy, was he right!! I have become obsessed with this creamy, decadent dessert! I have committed to making as many varieties of this dessert as I can…so stay tuned!

What is a posset? It is a dessert that originated in England as a creamy beverage curdled with wine, ale, or liquor and flavored with spices. But today’s posset is something altogether different: a chilled dessert with a luxurious texture that comes together almost by magic from nothing more than sugar, cream, and citrus juice. The three ingredients work perfectly together to get that silky, smooth texture. The citrus reacts with the cream (there is a whole chemical reaction that you can read about here) and causes the cream to thicken, and the sugar works to give the posset a smooth texture.

This is one of those recipes where you can not make substitutions, except for changing the citrus. This is because you need the fat from the heavy cream to react with the acid in the citrus. So you can not use milk or lower-fat cream; it must be heavy cream; otherwise, you’ll be drinking your posset. The portions are meant to be small, usually just half a cup, so you don’t need to worry too much about the calories. Just dive right into the silky decadence and enjoy!

To make this dessert:

This dessert comes together very quickly. You simply combine the heavy cream and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes, continuing to stir. If the boiling cream is bubbling too much, turn the heat down to a medium, but maintain a boil. To prevent it from boiling over, lift the saucepan off the burner for a few seconds to allow the posset to settle down, then return to the burner and continue stirring. After 3 minutes, remove from heat and whisk in the grapefruit juice. Pour the mixture into serving dishes. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until set. That’s it; you’re done!

To add another layer of elegance to the dessert, I like to combine two teaspoons of grapefruit zest and 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Stir to combine, then sprinkle on top of the dessert. It’s best to do this right before you serve the dessert; otherwise, the sugar begins to melt. Trust me; you won’t regret this part one bit!

A dollop of cool whip or homemade whip cream, and you’re set to go!

Check out my other posset varieties:

• Lemon/Lime Posset
• Lilikoi (Passion Fruit) Posset

Related recipes: LIME BARSLEMON/LIME POSSETLILIKOI (PASSION FRUIT) POSSETGRAPEFRUIT AND BASIL COCKTAIL