Lemon Posset Brûlée
+ cookbook & butter recommendations
Happy Sunday! Today I have a very easy lemon posset recipe for you as well as a list of recommendations for my current favorite cookbooks and butter brands. Important stuff people!
Before diving into the main discussion and recipe, I've been pondering a topic that's been on my mind lately—specifically, the apparent waning interest in home cooking. As I connect with more people, especially those not involved in the food biz, I've noticed a pervasive reluctance to engage in cooking. This reluctance can range from shy or cautious unwillingness to strong aversion bordering on loathing, and seems to relate to matters concerning either time constraints, financial limitations, or general apprehension in the kitchen.
In a recent conversation with a longtime friend of mine something she mentioned struck a chord. My friend is single, works remotely, loves her job and is one of the most creatively engaged people I know. Yet, she expressed a sense of resistance which she acknowledged had caused her some confusion: "I don't know what it is, I’m pretty much open to anything creative and new, but I'm facing resistance with cooking”.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts—are you experiencing a similar resistance to cooking, and if so, what factors do you believe contribute to it?
Now, without further ado, let's move on to the recommendations!
Cookbook recommendations
Cookbooks serve as my ultimate source of inspiration; I love reading recipes written by individuals who possess far greater expertise than myself. I sometimes daydream about a future home where every nook and cranny is filled with endless volumes of creative skill and culinary insight. This expensive addiction is most certainly my mother’s fault: her cookbook collection is fascinating, quirky and utterly enviable. Even my father has a particular fondness for eccentric antiquarian cookbooks.
With this passion for culinary literature in mind, I'd like to share a selection of food-related texts that have recently captured my attention.
The French Laundry
Chef Keller has been a culinary mentor to me. Not in the literal sense, but rather through the pages of his legendary cookbook, The French Laundry. Ever since its publication, in 1999, it has become a cherished resource for professional chefs and home cooks alike.
During the grey days of working as a creative in corporate, early in the morning and late at night, when the world seemed to be fast asleep, I would often cook as a form of therapy. At those times, like a firm but kind teacher, the voice of Chef Keller would be right there, offering sage advice:
When you acknowledge, as you must, that there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving toward perfection becomes clear: to make people happy. That’s what cooking is all about. Chef Thomas Keller
Bee Wilson - The Secret of Cooking
Bee Wilson's writing is deeply resonant because it feels like a personal conversation. With an authentic vulnerability and nurturing tone, she creates a sense of being cared for and understood. The Secret of Cooking is a gem. As Nigella Lawson states on her website: “"I know you’ll be consulting, cooking from, and reading [it] for years to come. I certainly will. It’s a gentle powerhouse of book’’.
Here’s a quotation from the book:
I sometimes think how crazy it is that we spend so long talking about cooking as a problem (it supposedly takes too much time, costs too much, is too difficult) and so little time talking about all the things to which it provides cures (soothing a busy mind, bringing friends together, helping us eat more vegetables). Consider cooking not as a problem but as a remedy, and it becomes easier to find the motivation to do it.
Bee Wilson is a British food writer and the author of seven books.
Jeremy Lee - Cooking: Simply and Well for One or Many
Jeremy Lee is a British chef known for his inventive approach to traditional British cuisine. He is head chef at London's Quo Vadis restaurant, a place I hope to visit this year!
Exuberant, eccentric and judicious - Chef Lee’s debut cookbook is a fascinating culinary resource. Jeremy debunks the old stereotype of an effing and blinding aggressive chef and writes about his love of cooking with gentle care, wit and substance.
‘’Good cooks always want to eat what they cook.’’ Well said, Jeremy!
Alice Waters - We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto
I must confess, I'm currently in the middle of reading this book but already feel compelled to include it in the list. After reading reviews online, some folk may find this new release preachy and radical, but I find it thought provoking. As you might know, Alice Waters is a pioneering American chef, restaurateur, and food activist known for her advocacy of the farm-to-table movement, sustainable ingredients, and California cuisine. She founded Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, and established the Edible Schoolyard Project to promote food education.
During my childhood, my mother taught me the importance of seasonal cooking and minimizing food waste, making fast food an exception usually reserved for friends' birthday celebrations - do you recall the 90s, when hosting birthday parties at McDonald's was the trend? When I moved to America I gained a unique perspective on just how prevalent convenience can become, not least due to long working hours and the rising cost of living. This is a contentious subject and one that warrants further reflection and research as Walters comments:
Fast food is not only about food, it’s bigger than that, it’s about culture… If you're eating in a fast food restaurant or in a fast food way, not only are you malnourishing yourself but you're also unwittingly digesting the values of this fast food culture. And once those values are a part of you, they change you.
Butter Recommendations
I recently created a video on Tiktok showcasing a selection of my favorite butters. So, here is my current list with tasting notes.
Le Beurre Bordier
My favorite for a reason. Le Beurre Bordier, originating from Brittany, is known for its quality and artisanal craftsmanship. Everyone's flavor palates are different, but I find this butter exceptionally creamy with a smooth velvety texture. There is also a prevalent nuttiness that is complemented by delicate sweet and simultaneously deeply savory undertones.
Échiré
Échiré butter is produced in the village of Échiré in the Poitou-Charentes region of western France, it is crafted using traditional methods and high-quality cream sourced from local farms. Échiré butter is made from spring milk, and therefore exudes a lovely subtle floral sweetness with a herbaceous undertone. I find it much lighter than Le Beurre Bordier. I specifically like to enjoy this butter with raspberry jam on a warm English muffin - the perfect breakfast!
Bungay, Raw Milk Cultured Butter
Let me tell you, this butter is so much fun to eat! The flavor is funky, deeply savory and earthy. I can almost taste a hint of mushroom.
What exactly is cultured butter?
Cultured butter is made from cream that has been exposed to live bacterial cultures, producing a tangy, and deeply rich flavor. Mmmm, yum…bacteria!
Where is Bungay butter produced?
Bungay Butter is produced at Fen Farm in Suffolk, England, by Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore, who use century-old traditions to craft their milk from their Montbéliarde cows. Renowned for its exceptional taste and texture, Bungay Butter embodies Fen Farm's commitment to quality and heritage.
Les Prés Salés
Les Prés Salés butter originates from the salt marshes of Brittany, France, renowned for their lush pastures and unique microclimate resulting in a distinctive creamy texture with a hint of seasalt.
Unusually, given that most French butters are expensive due to import costs, Les Prés Salés is available at a reasonable cost from supermarket chains. I found mine at Pavilions in San Diego.
The recipe
Lemon posset brûlée
400ml double (heavy) cream
130g caster sugar
4 small/medium lemons* , cut in half
1 lemon, zest only
*Meyer lemons recommended
Optional additions:
Vanilla extract or paste
A pinch of flaky salt
Method
Using a spoon, carefully remove the lemon pulp without creating any holes in the outer skin. (I use a wide shell-shaped teaspoon which has narrow edges that slide easily between the segments and pith, but you can use whichever utensil you find easiest.)
Place the pulp in a sieve and press gently but firmly with the back of a spoon to extract the juice. (Depending on the juiciness of your lemons, you could release up to 200ml of juice, but you only require 75ml for this recipe. Keep the remaining juice for another recipe, such as a lemon drop martini.)
Pour 75ml lemon juice into a jug then add the zest of one lemon.
Combine the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan. Gently heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a very gentle simmer.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream mixture into the jug containing the lemon juice and zest. Stir to combine.
Strain the posset mixture then divide evenly between the 8 lemon cups* or alternatively into glasses or ramekins, in which case choose the size/number according to your portion preference. In either case, be as efficient as possible as the mixture tends to thicken fairly quickly.
*If you choose the lemon cups option then you might have mixture left over which can be poured into a ramekin for you, the host, to enjoy when everyone has returned home.
(To ensure the lemon cups don’t topple over whilst setting, position them in a muffin tray.)
Leave to cool slightly then chill for 3-4 hrs or overnight.
To serve
When nearly ready to serve, sprinkle a little sugar on top of the posset mixture and then brûlée with a kitchen blow torch. Place the possets back in the refrigerator for a further five minutes before artfully arranging in individual bowls.
For an ice cream or gelato-like effect, try freezing the lemon possets for 2-3 hours.
That’s it for this Sunday friends! If you make these recipes, don’t forget to tag me!
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This is so so pretty!
I grew up on fast food and that culture had a toxic affect on me without really knowing it. You develop this taste for instant gratification that affects every aspect of life. But just as food can be toxic, it can also be the remedy.