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)