Little Lemon Pots

These rich lemon custards are simple and elegant. The sugar syrup makes the mixture intensely lemony, as well as making the custard smoother. Dress them up with berries, crushed shortbread or ginger cookies if you like, though all they really need is a little thick cream on top.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Sous Vide, Western

Keyword: lemon custard, lemon pots, steamed custard

Servings:

Calories: 374kcal

Ingredients

1 Tbsp lemon zest from 1 large lemon
1/3 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed, from 2-3 lemons
1/3 cup granulated sugar divided
6 egg yolks large
2 cups heavy cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Have 6 half-cup (125ml) ramekins or jars ready before you start cooking.
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and half of the sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced by half (you should have about a quarter of a cup of syrupy liquid). Set aside to cool until warm.
1 Tbsp lemon zest, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the remaining sugar and whisk to combine and dissolve the sugar. Add the warm (not hot!) lemon syrup and whisk well, them gradually pour in the cream, whisking as you go to combine everything.
1/3 cup granulated sugar, 6 egg yolks, 2 cups heavy cream
Strain the custard mixture through a fine sieve into a jug or bowl which will pour without spilling. Divide the mixture evenly between the ramekins.
Cover each ramekin with cling film and put onto a tray in the oven. Set to Steam, 167°F/75°C, 100% humidity and cook for 1 hour. At the end of cooking the lemon pots will still be quite jiggly. Cool to room temperature in the oven, then transfer to the fridge to chill overnight. Be careful when you remove them from the oven, they'll still be quite delicate until they're chilled.
Serve the lemon pots garnished with fresh berries and thick cream. If you want to turn them into a more substantial dessert you can add shortbread or ginger cookies for dipping or crumbling over the top.

Notes

Little lemon pots can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days. They do not freeze well.
To make little vanilla pots/custards, omit the lemon and replace with water in the syrup. When the syrup is reduced, stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla paste. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.

Nutrition