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You are here: Home / Dessert Recipes / Lemon Custard with Strawberries

Lemon Custard with Strawberries

June 20, 2019 by cathyscooking@gmail.com 14 Comments

multiple small dishes filled with lemon custard and topped with sliced strawberries.

This 4 ingredient no-bake lemon custard is rich and creamy yet still light.

Lemon Custard with Strawberries

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I am a lemon lover and I love this dessert! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

  • This custard requires only 4 ingredients – cream, sugar, salt and lemon (5 ingredients if you count the lemon zest and lemon juice.) The strawberry topping adds just 2 more ingredients – strawberries and sugar.
  • It doesn’t require baking. You simply simmer the cream, sugar and lemon zest. After removing the custard from the heat, then you add the lemon to “set” the cream.
  • The result is a softer style, creamy custard which is rich and lemony but still light in texture.
multiple small dishes filled with lemon custard and topped with sliced strawberries.

Posset? Pudding? Custard?

According to NYT (New York Times) Cooking, this No-Bake Lemon Custard with Strawberries recipe is actually a British dessert called a posset. Not familiar with posset? Me neither. Essentially it’s a cold dessert made from thickened cream, typically flavored with lemon. But like the folks at NYT Cooking, I called it custard because it’s a more familiar term in the U.S. You could also call it a pudding as well. Whatever you call it, don’t call me late for dinner if this is being served for dessert. Yum!

multiple small dishes filled with lemon custard and topped with sliced strawberries.

Serving Size & Chill Time

On my second batch, I used the cute little creme Brule-style ramekins pictured above. These worked perfectly for 6 servings, but the serving size is definitely on the small side. I have always felt that being bad in a small way (calorie-wise) is a good philosophy in life. If you prefer a little larger portion, I would suggest dividing this into 4 servings and using a 5 or 6-ounce ramekin like the one pictured below. I partially fill each of the smaller ramekins to leave room for the strawberries.

a small dish filled lemon custard and topped with sliced strawberries and a bowl with sliced strawberry topping

While the recipe calls for at least 3 hours of chill time, I would suggest longer. The second time I made these I let them chill for 6 hours. Because they are such a soft custard, the additional chill time gives them a little more firmness. You could easily make these a day in advance as well. If you go that route, pan to make the macerated strawberries 30-60 minutes before serving.

small dishes of lemon custard with strawberries

Lemon Custard with Strawberries

Creamy yet light no-bake lemon custard with macerated strawberries
4.60 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Stand Time & Chill Time: 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 ramekins (see notes)
Author: No Bake Lemon Custards with Strawberries by Melissa Clark at NYT Cooking

Ingredients

Custard

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest from 1 to 2 lemons
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice from 2 to 3 lemons

Strawberry Topping

  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Stir together cream, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture reaches a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. Simmer vigorously until mixture thickens slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let mixture cool slightly, and the custard forms a skin on top, about 20 minutes.
  • Stir custard, then strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup with a spout; discard the lemon zest. Pour into four or six6-ounce ramekins or small bowls. Note – I used creme brulee-style ramekins, which provided more room for the topping.
  • Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, for at least 3 hours. Note this recipe can be made the night before as well.
  • While custard chills, make the strawberry topping. Toss strawberries and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Let fruit macerate (get juicy) at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the sugar is dissolved, tossing occasionally.
  • Serve custards with strawberry topping.

Notes

The number of servings depends on how full you make each ramekin. When I fill the ramekins, I fill each one part-way to leave room for the strawberries which results in 6 servings.
 
The NYT Cooking Recipe suggests topping the dessert with freshly ground black pepper. I tried it and it didn’t do anything for me. Feel free to give that a try if you’re feeling adventurous!

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Filed Under: Dessert Recipes Tagged With: custard, dessert, lemon, no-bake custard, posset, pudding, strawberries, Summer Dessert

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosamond Sugarman

    July 19, 2021 at 3:47 PM

    I just made it and it filled 5 x 4oz ramekins, not 6!

    Reply
    • cathyscooking@gmail.com

      July 20, 2021 at 12:15 PM

      So sorry that was the result. When I have made this recipe I don’t fill the ramekins full, so there is room for the strawberries. I can make a note in the recipe that reflects this.

      Reply
  2. Donna Willingham

    June 27, 2021 at 3:09 PM

    Three words: YUM, YUM, YUM!!!

    Reply
    • cathyscooking@gmail.com

      June 29, 2021 at 6:51 PM

      I really love this recipe too. I haven’t made it for a long time so I think it’s time to whip up a batch.

      Reply
  3. Denise L Graves

    February 10, 2021 at 4:11 AM

    What’s the calorie count? Sound lovely will be making for “foodies” tomorrow. Lastly, have you made with either blueberries or raspberries? They are easier to get and better quality here on island.

    Reply
    • cathyscooking@gmail.com

      February 10, 2021 at 6:06 AM

      Sorry, I don’t have the calorie info and unfortunately the original recipe in the NYT Cooking doesn’t provide it either.

      I have not used other fruit, but it is certainly possible. I just checked a Williams and Sonoma article that says any berry, including blueberries, macerate well with sugar to create a lite syrup. Enjoy!

      By the way, what island do you live on! I am in MN where we are stuck in a week of below zero temps, so islands sound pretty great right now! 😉

      Reply
  4. Jessica Freimark

    June 20, 2019 at 4:23 PM

    This looks like a light and tasty summer dessert .

    Reply
    • cathyscooking@gmail.com

      June 20, 2019 at 5:06 PM

      Yes mam! Also great because it’s easy and can be made in advance.

      Reply

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