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Cranberry Posset
I'm pretty sure you've never heard of a posset, but I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to my strange, milky, British friend. He's like pudding, but easier. And tastier.
He is so goddam simple to make and tastes buttery as hell to boot. Usually, he's made with lemons or oranges, but I did some tinkering to make him a bit more American — a bit more cranberry. It was a good move too, because boy oh boy is he pretty now. A real looker. He ended up with the most marvelous pale dusty rose color. He also possesses the most incredibly luscious, spoonable texture — he totally holds his shape gorgeously.
As he needs some time to set, he is a perfect make-ahead for either having people over or sleep-eating directly out of the fridge in the middle of the night.
The only note here is: make sure you're using real cranberry juice. I mean the 100% pure stuff. Uncut. You can usually find this in either the health food aisle or at Trader Joe's; just check the ingredients to make sure that there is no added sugar or water.
Ingredients
How to do it
Mix the cream and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, and let it continue to boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and whisk in cranberry juice. Watch the color turn pink and marvel at his beauty, then let it sit for 10 minutes.
Mix again, and dispense into individually sized cups or containers; I usually use some leftover glass french yogurt containers (you know the ones), but teacups also work really well here too.
Cover the cups, and place in the fridge to cool for at least a few hours until set, or overnight.
You can pretty easily swap out the cranberry for other acids (or even a blend of them) — satsumas, tangerines, and pomelos are all especially great. I like cranberries though. That's just me.
If presentation matters to you, pour slowly to avoid bubbles and tap the glasses on the countertop a few times to release some that may remain at the surface.
When it comes to heavy cream, do try to look for one without any stabilizers or gums; just check the ingredients, but it's not necessarily easy to find
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