Lemon Posset Cups

In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil over medium‑high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar fully dissolves.

Reduce the heat to medium and maintain a gentle boil for 3 minutes, stirring continuously and adjusting the heat as needed to prevent the mixture from boiling over.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest until evenly incorporated. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.

While the mixture cools, prepare the lemon cups by scooping out the pulp from the halved lemons, leaving the shells intact.

Pour the cooled lemon‑cream mixture into each lemon half, filling them nearly to the top. Arrange the filled lemons on a cutting board or in a cupcake pan for stability.

Cover the lemon cups and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until the posset is fully set and firm to the touch.

To create the brûlée topping, evenly sprinkle 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the surface of each set lemon cup.

Using a kitchen blow torch, caramelize the sugar until it forms a golden‑brown, crisp crust. If a torch is unavailable, place the cups under a preheated broiler for 1‑2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

Serve the lemon posset cups immediately after brûléeing, allowing guests to enjoy the contrast of silky custard and crunchy caramelized sugar.