Gin and Tonic Posset

Gin and Tonic Posset recipe

Right, so we’re all back in again. This year has been like the worst ever game of the hokey cokey. Here in London, restaurants and pubs are now open for takeaways only so my festive menu planning has had a rethink. There’s a window for a special dessert and I can’t tell you, well I can having eaten 3, how really rather special this Gin and Tonic posset is.

When I first found this recipe, I thought it looked a bit of a drama, which is my typical reaction when a recipe has two parts to it. However, in my typical pre Christmas whirlwind, I made this in less than an hour *not including the agonising chilling time* and I didn’t even raise my eyebrows once during the process. The posset itself is a cream, sugar, lemon and gin affair and it’s divine. The gin is heated to remove the raw booze taste, but you lose none of the flavour. While this chills in the fridge it’s time to make a gin and tonic jelly to form the ‘ice’ cubes for the top of the posset. Don’t let this put you off, it’s just some heating, stirring and setting and the G&T jelly hit is such a tasty, and elegant addition. A big thank you, randomly, to the Sainsbury’s mag for the inspiration.

This pretty little dessert may well have been made with me in mind. Cream, lemon, gin and tonic all in one glass. If you don’t feel like cooking you could just put all the ingredients in a glass and drink it through a straw *don’t quote me on that*.

You’d be forgiven for thinking this is a cocktail recipe line up. It would be a delicious one I’m sure, but not as lovely as the pudding. I went for some posh tonic for the G&T jelly as the taste shines through. The posset has a hint of gin and a hit of lemon making it rich, but beautifully tart.

This centrepiece pud can be made around 3 days in advance, which is helpful given the amount of cooking we’re all going to be doing in the next few days. Make a start by selecting 6 glasses to serve this in. It does serve 6 generously, if you used teeny ones, it would stretch to 8 I’m sure. Next, take a small pan bring the 150ml of gin just to boiling point then take off the heat. This will remove the raw alcohol taste from the posset.

Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly. Juice and zest the 3 lemons, reserving a tablespoon or so of zest for garnish later. Mix the remaining zest with the juice then stir in the warm gin.

Next in a large pan pour in the 600ml of double cream along with the caster sugar. Gently bring up to the boil, stirring all the time.

Once it’s come to the boil, turn down and simmer for one minute then remove from the heat. Pour in the lemon and gin mixture and stir well.

Carefully pour into your serving glasses, using a jug may help with spillage, then put them into the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.

While your posset chills, get on with the gin and tonic jelly. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for around 5 minutes until soft.

Heat 50ml of your tonic water with the sugar, stirring well, until the sugar has dissolved.

Take off the heat, wring out the gelatine leaves then stir into the hot tonic and sugar mix until it’s melted.

Pour in the rest of the tonic water, stir, then pour into a cling film lined loaf tin. You will just have a thin layer of jelly.

Leave to set firm in the fridge until you’re ready to serve with the posset.

Turn the set jelly out onto a board and cut into small ice cube sized pieces.

Sprinkle these on to the top of the now set possets then add a touch of the reserved lemon zest.

Share these at your Christmas family table and enjoy the gasps of admiration; if they can get them out with a mouthful of posset on board.

My favourite drink in a dessert, lucky me. And now, lucky you too.

Lucy x

Gin and Tonic Posset recipe

Serves at least 6, dependent on the size of your glasses

You will just need pans and serving glasses for this

Posset

150ml gin

3 lemons, juice and zest

600ml double cream

175g caster sugar

G&T jelly

3 sheets leaf gelatine

125ml tonic water

40g caster sugar

50ml gin

Prepare 6 small glasses to serve your posset in and line a loaf tin with cling film.

In a small saucepan pour in the 150ml gin and just bring to the boil to remove the raw alcohol flavour. Turn off the heat and leave to cool. Juice and zest the 3 lemons, reserving a tablespoon of zest for the garnish. Mix the juice and zest and pour on the slightly cooled gin.

In another saucepan pour in the whole pot of cream along with the caster sugar. Slowly bring to the boil over a low heat, stirring well, then turn down the heat and simmer for one minute then remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon and gin mixture, mixing well, then pour into your chosen glasses. Pop into the fridge and leave for at least 4 hours to chill and set.

For the G&T jelly firstly soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft. In a small saucepan heat 50ml of the tonic water with the 40g of caster sugar over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, stirring well. Take off the heat and wring out the gelatine leaves then stir into the hot tonic mixture. Pour in the remaining 75ml of tonic water, stir, then pour into the cling film lined loaf tin. Pop in the fridge to set for around 2 to 3 hours.

Once the posset and jelly has set and you’re ready to serve remove them both from the fridge. Turn the jelly out onto a board and cut into small cubes. Scatter these on top of the posset and sprinkle on the reserved lemon zest.

These can be made at least 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge well covered.