Blood Orange Posset

This blood orange posset is such a rich and creamy dessert. Plus, with it's bright citrus-y flavor, it is totally refreshing. 

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the week's recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Posset is a chilled silky and creamy dessert with an amazing mouthfeel. While it might look like pudding or mousse, it's anything but. Plus, it's super easy to make. 

The next time you have friends over for dinner, make this posset. The silence (or moans) while your guests are eating it will tell you that you did a good thing! Everyone I served this blood orange posset to loved it. 

What is Posset?

Like me, you may have never heard of posset until now. Posset is a British dessert, typically made with lemon, sugar, and cream. The acid of the lemon, combined with the proteins in the cream causes everything to come together to form an amazing creamy mixture that, when chilled, solidifies into a silky dessert. 

In this case, with the help of the extensive research of Cook's Illustrated, July/August 2023, I learned how to turn any fruit juice into posset, including cranberry, pineapple, grapefruit, and orange, even though these fruits are less acidic than lemon. 

The secret? Citric acid. 

About Citric Acid:

Evidently, you need a pH of 2.6 to ensure the posset mixture of juice, cream, and sugar sets properly. This works perfectly with lemon juice, but other fruit juices, including other citruses, don't have the right pH. 

Orange has a higher pH than lemon, so the added citric acid helps lower the pH to the level of a lemon without changing the flavor and still allowing the mixture to set into a custard-y texture. 

You can find citric acid in the canning area of your supermarket or hardware store. It is also often called sour salt. It also is used by commercial bakeries for adding additional sour flavor to sourdough bread. It is also used to add tartness to candy and soft drinks. 

 I bought a small jar a long time ago thinking I could use it as a sourdough flavoring to my breads but I haven't used it much. Fortunately, it lasts pretty much forever, which is one of the reasons I could make this posset!

Tip: Don't confuse citric acid with ascorbic acid, which is vitamin C. While it also adds tartness, it doesn't necessarily lower the pH as much as you'd like for posset. (source: The Nibble). 

This ingredient is also used in commercial bread baking to lighten the texture and volume to the crumb. It's also great for sprinkling on cut apples and other fruits to prevent them from turning brown. I love adding a sprinkle of it to guacamole or the top of cut avocados to help preserve the color. This is an ingredient I use often. 

P.S. If you're a total geek, they do make pH meters you can buy to test your posset solution! 

I made this posset with blood oranges from Melissa's Produce, one of our Spring Sweets Week prize sponsors. 

I love blood oranges with their juicy, dark, and bittersweet flesh and their gorgeous peel that appears to be blushing. I've used them for making a sidecar cocktail, in salads, Margaritas, and crêpes, Plus, they are great for eating on their own. 

Rest assured, if you can't find blood oranges because they have a fairly short season, substituting other oranges or tangerines will work just fine in this recipe. 

Melissa's sent me an array of amazing fruits and ingredients to help create fabulous recipes for Spring Sweets Week. The blood oranges are upper right. 

Ingredients You Will Need:

The ingredient list is pretty simple. All you'll need is blood oranges, cream, and sugar, plus a citric acid solution. 

The most complicated ingredient is a citric acid solution of citric acid powder and water. Because citric acid powders vary in grain size, the trick is to use a sensitive mini scale so that you can achieve an exact solution. The solution still produces more than you need but you can keep leftovers in an airtight container indefinitely. 

I'm pretty sure you will want to make more posset. 

Procedure:

To Make this posset, simply combine the cream, sugar, and zest in a sauce pan and bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the mixture reduces to exactly 2 cups. To make sure you are exact, you can either keep a 2 cup glass measuring cup on hand and measure periodically. You can also add two cups of water to your saucepan in advance and use a ruler to mark the spot in the pan. Dump out the water and use your measuring stick to periodically check the level of the cream and sugar mixture. 

Once you've reduced the cream mixture, add the orange juice and citric acid solution and stir it all together. Let the mixture cool for 20 minutes and then strain out the zest. 

Finally, divide the mixture among six small ramekins and chill until set. 

This is a great make-ahead dessert. You can make it up to 3 days in advance of your dinner party. 

Recipe Variations:

You can substitute any orange, tangerine, or tangelo citrus for the blood oranges. 

If you like, to add a sort of creamsicle flavor to your posset, add a teaspoon or two of vanilla bean paste. 

#SpringSweetsWeek:

Welcome to #SpringSweetsWeek 2024 hosted by Heather from Hezzi-D's Recipe Box! 

Spring is finally here and the sun is shining and we are celebrating the beginning of spring with plenty of spring sweets and a fun giveaway! This year 17 food bloggers from around the country are sharing over 50 sweet recipes that are perfect for spring. Get ready to enjoy amazing spring treats like cupcakes, ice cream, pies, cakes, and more! 

Thank you to our #SpringSweetsWeek sponsors that are helping us give away some great prizes. Thank you to Melissa's Produce, Taylor and Colledge, and Selefina Spices for your generosity and support. We have an incredible giveaway with three amazing prizes and would love it if you would take a moment to read about it and the prizes that you can win!

Prize #1: A Tropical and Exotic Fruit Gift Basket from Melissa's Produce.

One winner will enjoy an abundance of fruit with Melissa’s! This stunning assortment is arranged in a woven basket with cellophane wrapping and colorful ribbon. Fruit may include (depending on seasonal availability): Asian Pear, Baby Pineapple, Blood Orange, Cherimoya, Feijoas, Kiwis, Kumquats, Lychees, Mango, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Persimmons, Pomegranate, Rambutans, Specialty Bananas, Starfruit and Tamarillos.

Prize #2: A collection of Selefina Spices.

One winner will enjoy a collection of spices from Selefina Spices including: Cinnasational Spice Blend, crystalized ginger, lemon peel, Matcha food grade powder, Purple sweet potato powder, and Ground Cardamom Seeds. Selefina Spices sells an assortment of spices gathered using dedication and care with which we’ve curated their online tea collection. With our decades of experience sourcing products and establishing global connections their mission is to be able to bring you fresher, higher-quality spices and seasonings at lower prices.

Prize #3: A selection of 3 extract pastes from Taylor and Colledge.

One winner will receive a selection of extract pastes to include almond, organic vanilla bean, and lavender. In 1897, Taylor & Colledge won its first award for excellence in vanilla. Since then, the Taylor & Colledge commitment for unsurpassed quality has earned its reputation as one of the world’s finest producers of vanilla.

Enter after the recipe to win. 

More Spring Sweets Recipes for Monday: 

Banana Dragon Fruit Muffins from Palatable Pastime

Blood Orange Crepe Suzette from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Blood Orange Crumb Muffins from Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Holiday Fruit Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Lavender Lemon Creme Brulee from The Spiffy Cookie

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake from Art of Natural Living

Lemon Mousse Filled Crepe Cups with Berries from Blogghetti

Lemon Raspberry Crepe Cake from Jolene's Recipe Journal

Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake from Hezzi-D's Recipe Box

Split Seconds Cookies from Shockingly Delicious

Springtime Chocolate Terrarium Dessert from For the Love of Food

Sweet Crepes with Luscious Fruits from Our Good Life

Tangerine Upside Down Cake from Magical Ingredients

Tangerine Vanilla Fig Preserves from That Recipe

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

Blood Orange Posset

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 3 HourTotal time: 3 H & 20 M

This blood orange posset is such a rich and creamy dessert. Plus, with it's bright citrus-y flavor, it is totally refreshing.

Ingredients

To Make the Citric Acid Mixture

• 20 grams citric acid
• 30 grams water

To Make the Posset

• 6 tablespoons of blood orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of the citric acid solution
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2/3 cups (12 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon of the blood orange zest

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix the citric acid powder and water.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the blood orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon of the citric acid mixture. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan (at least 2 quarts), bring the cream, sugar, and zest to a boil. Cook, stirring regularly, until the cream is exactly 2 cups, about 8 minutes.
4. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the juice and citric acid mixture. Let rest for 20 minutes. Strain the mixture into a bowl, removing the zest.
5. Divide the mixture among small bowls or ramekins. Chill, uncovered for about 3 hours. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate for an additional 3 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

377

Fat (grams)

29 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

18 g

Carbs (grams)

27 g

Fiber (grams)

0 g

Net carbs

26 g

Sugar (grams)

26 g

Protein (grams)

2 g

Cholesterol (grams)

90 mg

Karen's Kitchen Stories

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Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Selefina Spices, Melissa’s Produce, and Taylor and Colledge for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Three (3) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.