Monday, February 23, 2015

BB: Lemon Posset Shortcakes

Lemon Posset ShortcakesI'm conflicted about this week's Alpha Bakers assignment. One thing is clear: the results are a wonderful cakelet--lovely, light, and lemony. My debate is on the process. Really, nothing about this recipe is difficult, or at least not if you can handle a basic sponge cake. (OK, I'd never baked one before the Heavenly Cakes bake-through, but having completed that sponge cakes are about as easy as the butter cakes I grew up with.) However, it's a typical Rose recipe with many steps and precise timing to get exactly the result Rose was striving for, or so I assume. While I enjoy the results, I wish for a less-involved route to get there.

Lemon Posset ShortcakesSo: it's a sponge cake made with browned and clarified butter and baked in individual Maryann pans--that's the "shortcake" style now found at American grocery stores that has a depression on the top for berries. (I'll spare you my rant about the real shortcake for berries being a biscuit, not a cake.) Once the cakelets are baked and cooled, they are brushed with a syrup made with lemon juice. Here the lemon type was unspecified, but as I had an abundance of Meyer lemons for the posset, I used Meyer lemon juice in the syrup as well. Give the syrup a few hours to distribute through the cake, then glaze each cake let with an apple jelly glaze. That's the cake part.

Lemon Posset ShortcakesThe lemon posset is also simple: heavy cream mixed with sweetened Meyer lemon juice and allowed to set. From the recipe I had thought I'd end up with a distinctly layered result, with a thicker top layer, softer middle, and watery bottom. Well, the layers are there but subtle--there's no visual distinction until you start spooning out the posset, and then the texture differences appear. The thicker top layer is spooned onto each cakelet first and allowed to set, preventing the more liquid posset to come from soaking into the cake. Then the less-firm layer is spooned on top and again allowed to set. (The "watery" lowest layer is not used, but makes a great topping for fruit.) Finally, the cakelets are ready to serve. I spooned on a few blueberries for the classic lemon-blueberry flavor combination, and had a very elegant dessert.

No doubt it's a wonderful cake, and I wish the process were less involved--maybe the glaze could be skipped if the cake were made and served on the same day, maybe the time frame for putting the posset on the cakes could be compressed, but any way you look at it this recipe will take some time. I imagine I'll repeat it, but will need a special occasion to justify it.


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13 comments:

  1. Nancy, I'm with you.. not difficult, but oh the many, many steps drove me nuts! Worth it? totally, but those STEPS! LOL They look so beautiful.. love your topping choice.

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  2. Yup, I too wished the process was shorter too! I like your plain looking pan! Do they still sell this? I only see the basket-print-ones that I used. Looks easier to bake in than mine.

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    1. I started to say no, as I inherited this one from my mother--it's probably 1960's vintage. But here's a 12-hole one: http://www.webstaurantstore.com/chicago-metallic-43385-12-cup-glazed-maryann-strawberry-shortcake-specialty-pan-12-7-8-x-17-7-8/32643385.html
      so at least the plain ones are still being made. The other option is to keep an eye on eBay for a vintage model.

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  3. Seriously, I think this cake would be just fine as one large one, especially with fresh fruit. Blueberries sound delicious. As I missed a couple steps, I know it can be shortened. The flavors were wonderful.

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  4. I skipped the glaze altogether (by accident) but it didn't make the cakes dry. Blueberries would have been a great accompaniment.

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  5. I agree, I think you could skip both the glaze and the syrup if you had a firm posset. My back to front method for the posset set up really firm. I kept it at temperature until it was leaving trails...

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  6. Well they look lovely. But I cut short the waiting times too because I don't have much patience. I'd probably keep the syrup and glaze next time but just make one big cake.

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  7. Nancy loved your cometary; your shortcakes look amazing

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  8. Your cakes look perfect. I agree with you about all the steps and is it necessary to do the glaze.

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  9. Beautiful! I thought the watery lowest layer was perfect for licking out of a spoon. ;-)

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  10. I love the blueberry garnish! Nancy, your shortcakes are beautiful, and I agree--the long wait times were a bit burdensome. I got tired of handling the fragile little cakelettes.

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  11. I loved the posset part of this recipe. Would be wonderful spooned over mixed berries!

    Patricia @ ButterYum
    http://www.butteryum.org/roses-alpha-bakers/2015/2/19/lemon-posset-alma

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