Posset

Hot drink with wine and milk For the football club, see Portishead Town F.C. A glass of the modern lemon posset dessert, served with almond bread A posset (/ˈpɒsət/, historically also spelled possyt, possot, poosay, poshote or poshotte), was originally a popular hot drink made of milk curdled with wine or ale, often spiced, which was often used as a remedy. In the 18th century, it was reportedly only drunk in Sweden, Norway and England. The original drink became extinct and the name was revived in the 19th century and applied to a cream, sugar and citrus-based confection, which is consumed today as a cold set dessert nearly indistinguishable from syllabub.

[edit] Posset pot, Netherlands, Late 17th or early 18th century, Tin-glazed earthenware painted in blue V&A Museum no. 3841-1901 Victoria and Albert Museum, London To make the drink, milk was heated to a boil, then mixed with wine or ale, which curdled it, and spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. It was considered a specific remedy for some minor illnesses, such as a cold, and a general remedy for others, as even today people drink hot milk to help them sleep.

[edit] A 1661 posset pot from England. The OED traces the word to the 15th century: various Latin vocabularies translate balducta, bedulta, or casius as "poshet", "poshoote", "possyt", or "possot". Russell's Boke of Nurture (c. 1460) lists various dishes and ingredients that "close a mannes stomak", including "þe possate". Posset is frequently used as a starting point for other recipes (e.g. "Make a styf Poshote of Milke an Ale", and "Take cowe Mylke, & set it ouer þe fyre, & þrow þer-on Saunderys, & make a styf poshotte of Ale", each of which is the first sentence of a longer recipe). Recipes for it appear in other 15th-century sources: boil milk, add either wine or ale "and no salt", let it cool, gather the curds and discard the whey, and season with ginger, sugar, and possibly "sweet wine" and candied anise. Certain monks would make a posset including eggs and figs, a possible precursor to eggnog. In 14th and 15th century cookery manuals, a possibly-related word, spelled variously "possenet", "postnet", or "posnet", is used to mean a small pot or saucepan. In 16th-century and later sources, possets are generally made from lemon or other citrus juice, cream and sugar. Eggs are often added. Some recipes used breadcrumbs to thicken the beverage. "Posset sets" for mixing and serving possets were popular gifts, and valuable ones (often made of silver) were heirlooms. Such sets contained a posset "pot", or "bowl", or "cup" to serve it in, a container for mixing it in, and usually various containers for the ingredients, as well as spoons. The posset set that the Spanish ambassador gave Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain when they became betrothed in 1554 is believed to have been made by Benvenuto Cellini and is of crystal, gold, precious gems, and enamel. It is on display at Hatfield House in England and consists of a large, stemmed, covered bowl; two open, stemmed vessels; a covered container; three spoons; and two forks.

Lemon posset The word "posset" is mostly used nowadays for a cold set dessert invented in the late 19th c., containing cream and lemon, similar to syllabub. It is also used to refer to the semi-digested milk brought up by babies after a feed.

Posset survived the shift from medieval remedy to modern dessert because it hits the sweet spot between comfort and elegance. The silky texture, achieved by gently setting cream with citrus, offers the same soothing mouthfeel that the original hot milk‑and‑wine concoction gave to a trembling winter crowd. In a Christmas spread, a chilled posset sits elegantly beside mince pies and pudding, providing a lighter, palate‑cleansing finish. Its subtle lemon bite cuts through the richness of roasted meats, making it an excellent bridge between savoury and sweet courses. Serve it in small ramekins or glass goblets and garnish with candied peel or a sprig of rosemary for a festive flourish that feels both traditional and contemporary.

The quality of a posset rests on three pillars: fresh cream, good citrus, and fine sugar. Opt for a double‑cream with at least 35% fat – it thickens without a whisk and yields a luxurious mouthfeel. When it comes to lemon, a thick‑skinned, unwaxed variety like Meyer offers a sweeter, less acidic flavour that blends smoothly with the cream. If you prefer a twist, try lime or orange zest for a subtler note. Use fine caster sugar; it dissolves quickly and prevents a grainy finish. For a festive edge, consider adding a splash of chilled aromatised wine or a pinch of ground nutmeg before the mixture sets. Keep all ingredients chilled until the last moment to guarantee a flawless set.

Many assume the modern posset is merely a re‑brand of syllabub, but the two have distinct lineages. Syllabub traditionally involves beating cream with wine or cider to create a frothy topping, whereas posset relies on a gentle acid‑set technique that thickens the cream without aeration. This subtle difference gives posset its characteristic custard‑like firmness, allowing it to be moulded or piped into elegant shapes. Over‑whipping a posset will ruin its smooth set, turning it into a foamy mess more akin to syllabub. Treat it as a gentle curd, letting the citrus do the work, and you’ll preserve the dessert’s unique, velvety mouthfeel that sets it apart on the Christmas table.