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Featured in 16 Recipes Kids Can Make for Mother’s Day
This lemon pudding couldn’t be easier. It’s made with just four ingredients: whipping cream, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
All you do is warm everything up, then let the pudding set. It’s like magic.
Elegant, simple, and with a velvety texture that is positively dreamy, this lemon pudding is perfect for Easter dinner, Mother’s Day brunch, and everything in between.
No one needs to know it only took you 15 minutes to make.
VIDEO! How to Make Lemon Pudding
This video is part of our Simply Kids Cook YouTube series. Head over there to see more videos in the series.
The History of Lemon Pudding
The recipe is a modern adaptation of a medieval drink called a posset, which was popular from the Middle Ages to the early 19th century. This was a hot milk or cream mixture thickened with acidic wine or cider. It was considered medicinal for treating a cold or flu. Syllabubs, another sweet frothy drink, are closely related.
History lesson over! Lemon posset is fast becoming a trendy dessert, especially in Britain.
The Magic of 4-Ingredient Lemon Pudding
The magic is in the thick cream, reduced slightly, and combined with tart lemon juice. The two interact to form an exquisite creamy consistency, especially after you strain out the little bits of zest.
Look through your cupboard for pretty stemmed glasses if you want to be fancy, and make this for your next party!
More Lemony Desserts!
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Soft & Chewy Lemon Cookies
- Lemon Icebox Pie
- How to Make Lemon Curd
- Classic Lemon Bars
Easy Lemon Pudding Recipe
Recipe is easily doubled.
Recipe can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons (89ml) lemon juice
- 1 cup (about 150g) blueberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries or blackberries, to garnish
Method
1 Warm the cream and sugar: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream, sugar and lemon zest. Bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to a gentle boil, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
Watch carefully and stir frequently to keep the cream from boiling over.
2 Add the lemon juice and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes. Stir frequently.
3 Take the pan off the heat and let the cream cool for 5 minutes.
4 Strain and chill. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a 4-cup liquid measuring cup or other container for easy pouring.
Pour into 4 four-ounce ramekins or pretty stemmed glasses.
5 Refrigerate, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours, or until set. This pudding can also be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. Top each glass with berries just before serving.
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Sally Pasley Vargas is a freelance writer and the author of three cookbooks (Food for Friends, The Tao of Cooking, Ten Speed Press, and The Cranberry Cookbook). She currently writes the column The Confident Cook for The Boston Globe along with seasonal recipes for the Wednesday Food Section.
Easy Lemon Pudding
This is fantastic! It was hit at my dinner party!
It’s a keeper!
xxxxxyyyyy
How do I change the recipe if I want to make it with blueberries or other fruits instead?
Hi Tiff,
Because this recipe relies on the acid in the lemon juice for it to set, you need to make it with lemon juice and zest. I’d suggest simply garnishing it with other fruit on the side, as in the photo, if you’d like other fruits in on the action.
Thanks for another interesting recipe. I’ve been thinking about squeezing fresh lemons, but have no idea how many. Any estimates, rough? Thanks in advance! Best regards!
I did two!
Do you think you could sub 2% or whole milk for the whipping cream to save on some fat or would it completely mess it up? Thank you!
Hi Joy,
With this recipe, you need heavy cream, or the lemon juice will curdle the milk and make its texture really gross. For an easy low-fat pudding, perhaps try our Chia Pudding and add a little lemon zest.
I jumped down to the recipe and I was thinking – this is remarkably similar to a posset! Then I read your description! I smiled and you impressed me, not many people know about medieval recipes and yes, this type of dessert is very popular here in the UK.
Thank you for reminding me of a truly delicious and easy pudding. I’m off to buy some whipping cream, lemon and blueberries.
Have a lovely day.
xxxxxyyyyy