Posset is a firm favourite of mine. This traditional dessert is made with cream and sugar and is flavoured with fruit juice, but it has to be a juice containing citric acid that will thicken the cream when added to for a thickset dessert.
Posset is very rich and is therefore best served in small portions. To accompany it shortbread is a good idea, as it gives a perfect additional texture to compliment the silky smooth creamy dessert.
It is very simple to make posset and takes no time at all. However it then needs to be cooled and then refrigerated for at least an hour, and preferably longer, to allow it to set to a thick spoonable consistency.
I have made peach, lemon and passion fruit versions in the past so today I decided to make an orange version.
It turned out very well indeed, with a superb flavour and was so silky smooth it just slipped down my throat. The shortbread too was very good, again flavoured with orange, and was a great accompaniment.
This dessert is perfect for the summer time.
Orange Posset with Orange Shortbread
Orange Posset with Orange Shortbread – Video
Ingredients:
For the posset:
- 600ml(2 1/2 cups) double cream(or heavy cream will be fine)
- 150g(3/4 cup) caster sugar, granulated will work too
- 100ml(1/3 cup + 4 tbsp) freshly squeezed orange juice
- zest of 2 oranges, finely grated
for the shortbread:
- 200g(1 1/3 cups) plain flour
- 60g(1/3 cup) ground almonds
- 90g(7 tbsp) caster sugar
- 200g(14 tbsp) unsalte butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 1 medium egg(large in USA)
- Zest from about 1/2 an orange, finely grated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
- Place the cream and caster sugar into a saucepan and add the orange zest.
- Stir to combine and place on the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time.
- As soon as the mixture boils remove from the heat and strain off the orange zest(you can miss this step if you wish to leave the zest in the posset).
- Bring the mixture back to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring always.
- Pour the mixture into the orange juice and stir to combine.
- Pour the posset, which will have thickened somewhat but still be very runny, into small glasses or dishes of choice(I made 5 servings in glasses).
- Allow the posset to cool completely. Then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least an hour and preferably a few hours, until the mixture has set to a lovely thickset consistency.
- Place the flour, ground almonds, sugar and zest into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix together.
- Add the butter(you can rub the butter into the mixture by hand if you wish) and pulse until the mixture has turned into a fine breadcrumb like texture.
- Add the egg and the vanilla extract and processor briefly until the mixture clumps together.
- Turn out onto a work surface and use your hands to pull into a ball.
- Flatten to a disc and wrap in plastic wrap, then chill in the fridge for one hour.
- Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the dough to an even thickness, between 1/8 and 1/4 inch, or whatever thickness you prefer.
- Use a small cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
- Place the shapes on a parchment lined baking tray and chill in the fridge while you preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/375 F.
- Bake the shortbread in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until they change to a light golden brown colour.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for two minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve with the posset when that has set.