lemon and saffron posset
Lemon and saffron posset is not just a dessert to celebrate the citrus season. For the time-stretched cook wanting to finish a meal with something sweet which takes such little preparation, this is a gift! Using only a few ingredients, Zejd’s saffron adds a hint of the exotic, in colour and aroma. The only cooking bit is heating up the double cream. We’ve adapted a recipe from Honey & Co’s cook book “At Home” adding pomegranates seeds for a jewel-like finish to this elegant dessert.
In January when there are so many different citrus varieties available, please feel free to experiment. Blood oranges or Seville oranges would work so well here too. Although you might have to adjust the sugar content – taste and see. As the recipe uses the zest, check to make sure that the fruit is unwaxed. We used a Sorrento lemon from the south of Italy. They tend to be bigger than supermarket varieties, full of juice and with delicious zest. Thinly sliced, these are also delicious in salads as they aren’t too bitter.
Zejd’s Lebanese saffron is highly aromatic, so a small pinch will be enough. You don’t want the saffron element in the posset to be too overpowering, a hint is more interesting than an overload. If you grind the saffron in a ceramic pestle and mortar before infusing it, the colour disperses more easily into the creamy mixture. Even though the pomegranate seeds look like jewels, they serve a purpose too. The tiny pop of juicy acidity is just what you need with a teaspoon of lemon and saffron posset. Refreshingly delicious, this is dessert heaven.
serves 6 (using small coffee cups or 5 bigger dessert glasses)
ingredients
204ml double cream
1 small pinch of Zejd saffron strands (use tweezers to remove from jar)
80g caster sugar (more if using a Seville orange)
zest of 1 lemon (or blood orange or 1/2 a Seville orange)
40ml lemon juice, (or blood orange or Seville orange)
a handful of pomegranate seeds for the top
method
- Arrange the glasses, or coffee cups, on a small tray so that you can place them in the fridge to cool.
- Put the double cream and sugar into a small heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Grind the saffron strands in a pestle and mortar, if you have one, and add to the saucepan. Alternatively, crumble the strands with your fingers to break up the saffron, and add to the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan on a low-medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring every so often. Once the cream has begun to boil, lower the heat and stir as you count to 20. Remove from the heat.
- In a slow steady stream, pour the lemon juice into the saucepan stirring continuously.
- Then quickly pour into the cups or glasses. Put this into the fridge or leave in a cool place for at least 2 hours.
- Just before eating, scatter some pomegranate seeds on top.
Thin ginger biscuits go nicely with this or a decadent macaron!