# Lemon Posset not setting!



## Guest (Nov 19, 2013)

Hi there, i need help with the lemon possets im making lately. They've stopped setting for me and are very runny! When i made them in the beginning they were perfect! I loved making them and they were so easy. Now they're a nightmare! I didnt change anything in the recipe or do anything differently. This is the recipe and method i use

600ml cream, 150g caster sugar, 4 lemons juice and zest

I bring my cream to a boil with my sugar and let it cool slightly then add lemon juice and zest and stir well.

I sieve it and put it into glasses. When that stopped working i tried adding the juice and zest while its on the heat and it didnt work either. Ive noticed the lemons are not very sour and i could eat them without my face scrunching up! I added citric acid to the mix then but still nothing! These methods didnt help with setting. So I have no idea what could be happening and if anyone could help me id be so happy! Thank you!


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Try reducing the lemon juice before adding it.


----------



## Guest (Nov 20, 2013)

I will try that! Thanks. Hope it works. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


----------



## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

Have you noticed a change in your heavy cream?  A chef friend had a case of heavy cream that was in fact light cream; it wouldn't whip, it wouldn't do much of anything.  The packaging was the same, though, it was just not the right fat content.  So it's a possibility that your cream is different and that's causing the problem.  Alternatively you could add a bit of gelatin to set it....


----------



## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

J!

Yes I have!

Made my chocolate cream pies on Wed covered with cling and popped into fridge to set.

Got up early yesterday and dumped the cream (heavy whipping 16 oz + 0.5 cup 10x and splash vanilla) into my KA and proceeded as per usual.

Got no more than a soft peak.

Tossed down the drain and repeated with an unopened 16oz carton.

Same.

The pies were perfect (same brand cream) but attribute it more to the shaved chocolate and extra yolk than the cream.

mimi

Got to my sister's and the niece was whipping up cream and using the same brand (altho a 32oz container).

Beautiful full heavy peaks.

WTH?

Thanks Leslie for sharing!

m.


----------



## Guest (Dec 4, 2013)

JCakes I would have never thought that cream would be the problem. I thought whether it was single or double cream wouldn't matter if it was the lemon that sets it. But Thanks for that and i will check that next time /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif I had to put a small bit of gelatin in them and got the perfect texture. So thats how i may do it from now on i think! Still annoys me how they dont set for me now. I hate to be defeated by a lemon posset! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Hey Helena, just curious... did you try reducing the lemon juice and if so, to what consistency and how did it work for you?


----------



## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

I don't know what the percentage of fat that single cream contains, or double cream; here, I can get cream that is 35% or 40% and always go for the 40% because we are almost always using the cream to whip, to make ganache .  The cream that my friend had just didn't have enough fat in order for it to whip, even though the label said it was the 40% kind. 

What causes the dessert to set is the acid in the lemon juice reacting with the protein in the cream (sort of like the citrus "cooking" the shellfish in ceviche, or when a home cook in the US "clabbers" fresh sweet milk with lemon juice (you can also use vinegar)  to make a "fake" buttermilk.


----------

