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Grapefruit Posset
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Grapefruit Posset with Campari Gelee

Grapefruit posset really needs no accessories, so you can serve it all by itself. But, I wanted to layer on the grapefruit flavor, so I made a bed of pound cake and then topped it with a grapefruit and Campari gelee. It is very rich, but the grapefruit and slight bitterness of the campari create a sophisticated "creamsicle" that is super refreshing.
Author: Zoë François

Ingredients

Grapefruit Pound Cake (optional)

    Grapefruit Posset

    • 4 cups heavy cream
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 vanilla bean split and seeds scraped
    • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
    • 2 tbsp grapefruit zest optional, but gives a stronger flavor

    Grapefruit Campari Gelee

    • 2 tsp gelatin
    • 1 1/2 tbsp water
    • 1 1/4 cups grapefruit juice
    • 2 tbsp Campari optional
    • 2 tbsp sugar

    Optional Garnishes

    • micro greens
    • edible flowers
    • crushed pistachios or other nut
    • fresh or dehydrated raspberries

    Instructions

    Cake Layer (optional)

    • Have ready eight 6-ounce cups or jars. I suggest using glass so you can see the layers. The jars I used are from Weck.
    • I just baked my grapefruit pound cake recipe in a sheet pan, instead of a loaf pan. It was baked in about 20 minutes, but keep an eye on it, you don't want it to over bake. I used a round biscuit or circle cutter to stamp out the right sized piece to go into the cups. Once the cake is in the cups, I soaked the cake with the glaze. (You will likely have some cake left over, which makes a great snack as you prepare the rest of the dessert.)

    Grapefruit Posset

    • Heat the cream, sugar and vanilla over medium heat. Let it come to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes. There should be lots of small bubbles, but not a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the grapefruit juice and zest. You will notice it thickening right away, but it won't be truly set until it is fully chilled. Let the posset sit for about 5 minutes before straining and (you only need to strain if you have added zest) filling your cups. Once the posset has sat for 5 minutes you can fill the cups.
    • Allow the posset to chill for at least 3 hours, but it can be made the day before. You can serve them just as is or with some fresh fruit, but I added a layer of grapefruit gelee to add some contrast to the richness of the cream.

    Gelee

    • First you'll need to "bloom" the gelatin in COLD water. This just means that the gelatin absorbs the water and softens. Let it sit while you heat the grapefruit juice.
    • In a small sauce pot heat the grapefruit juice, campari and sugar. Once it comes to a simmer add the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Let it cool for about 10 minutes.  
    • If you have a funnel, fill it with the gelatin mixture and put a thin layer over the posset. If not, carefully pour it from a measuring cup. It will be very liquidy at this point, but will set firm in the refrigerator. Let set for about an hour. Serve with the micro greens, nuts and raspberries or nothing at all.