Lemon and Passion Fruit Posset Brûlée

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

“I’m sorry, pineapple crush dessert,
you’ve been posset-ed to the sidelines.”

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If you’re from Southern Africa, you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say Pineapple Crush Dessert. The easiest dessert ever. Say what you want about it, but it’s always finished at a gathering. Well…move over, pineapple crush, there’s a new dessert in town.

This easy, creamy Lemon and Passion Fruit Posset Brûlée is my now go-to replacement, guaranteed to have guests coming back for seconds, thirds, and yes, even silencing that one aunty who used to roll her eyes when I brought pineapple crush to the table.

The idea for this came from my sister last month when she tried a similar recipe, and let’s just say I was one very proud sister because it looked stunning. Naturally, I couldn’t resist playing around with it, and here’s my version.

I know the pictures show them served in lemon and passion fruit shells (very extra, I know), but I’ve made it a couple more times since, and I now lean towards dessert glasses; they’re neater and less fiddly unless you’ve got big, generous fruit shells to work with.

The brûlée topping you see in the photos is optional, but if you’re feeling fancy, it’s worth the little extra effort. Once set (ideally overnight), the texture should be smooth and luscious, like cheesecake filling. If it doesn’t set, don’t panic; it’s just as delicious as a softer, custard-like dessert.

The filling is endlessly customisable. Keep it classic with just lemon juice and zest, or get seasonal, I went with passion fruit/grandilla because they’re everywhere right now (tinned pulp works too). You could blend in strawberries, raspberries, or even orange juice for a fresh twist.

This recipe makes roughly 14 - 15 servings if you’re using fruit shells (lemon, passion fruit, or even orange halves) and around 10 - 12 if you’re using dessert cups or glasses (it’s all dependent on the size). It comes together so quickly that if you’re making it just for 2 - 4 people, you can easily halve the recipe.

A quick tip: If you slice the top off your lemon or orange and then trim the bottom so it sits flat, be careful not to cut too much, as this can create a small hole that lets the filling leak out when you pour it in. To avoid a mess, place a folded paper towel underneath the fruit shell before filling and setting it in the fridge. Just remember to remove the paper towel before garnishing and serving.

TikTok

@spicyfusionkitchen Lemon and Passion Fruit Posset Brûlée 🍋🤤✨ Full Recipe on www.spicyfusionkitchen.com 🔗 #lemonandpassionfruitpossetbrulee #posset #dessert #lemonandpassionfruit #summerrecipes ♬ Light of the Soul - SANTANA J.L.M

Ingredients

Serves:

Approximately 14 - 15 in lemon and passion fruit/granadilla shells,

or 10 - 12 in dessert cups/glasses.

1/2 The recipe for a serving for 4

Filling:

500ml Fresh Cream or Imitation Cream

1 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Lemon Juice

1 tsp Lemon Zest (1 lemon)

1/2 Cup Passion Fruit/Granadilla Pulp

Garnish:

10 - 15 Sprigs Fresh Mint

10 - 15 Blueberries

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Passion Fruit/Granadilla Pulp

Method With Pictures

1. Slice the lemons in half lengthwise. You can also slice off a small piece from the bottom of each half to help them balance, but be careful not to cut too much, otherwise, the mixture might leak out. If it does leak, simply fold a paper towel and place it underneath to catch any drips while the posset sets in the fridge. Remember to remove the paper towel before garnishing and serving.

2. Slice the passion fruits or granadilla down the middle.

3. Carefully scoop out the pulp of the lemon (I used a knife to slice along the sides and then a tbsp to scoop). It can be difficult with some lemons, so just be patient and embrace the mess. Scoop out the pulp from the passion fruit or granadilla and remove the film inside.

4. Use the pulp to squeeze out the juice of the lemon and keep aside for the filling, also keep aside the passion fruit/granadilla pulp.

5. Place the shells in the fridge or freezer to firm up (I placed them in the freezer).

5. In a small pot, heat the fresh cream and sugar over medium heat. Stir gently and bring to a gentle boil, for 2 - 3 minutes, before stirring in the lemon juice, lemon zest and passion fruit/granadilla pulp.

6. Let it boil for another 5 minutes till it thickens (the filling doubles in quantity).

7. Remove from the heat and strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any zest and passion fruit/granadilla seeds for a silky texture.

8. Let it cool down for 5 - 10 minutes before carefully pouring it into the lemon and passion fruit/granadilla shells, or into your dessert cups/glasses.

9. Refrigerate for 4 - 5 hours, or until fully set. Leave it to set overnight. The texture should be smooth, similar to cheesecake filling. If it doesn’t set, don’t stress; it works beautifully as a softer, custard-like dessert.

10. Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before serving. If you plan to brûlée the dessert, sprinkle a generous amount of brown sugar over the top and use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelise it, creating a crisp, crystallised topping. Work on one at a time, taking care not to burn the sugar, and ensure your dessert cups or glasses are safe for use with a blowtorch. Garnish each with 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of passion fruit/granadilla pulp, a sprig of fresh mint, and a blueberry.

11. If you’re not brûléeing the posset, simply garnish with 1/4 - 1/2 tsp passion fruit/granadilla pulp, a sprig of mint, and a blueberry before serving.

Method

Slice the lemons in half lengthwise. You can also slice off a small piece from the bottom to help them balance, but be careful not to cut too much to avoid creating a hole; otherwise, the mixture may leak out. If this happens, simply fold a paper towel and place it underneath to catch any drips while the posset sets in the fridge. Remember to remove the paper towel before garnishing and serving. Next, slice the passion fruits in half.
Carefully scoop out the pulp of the lemon (I used a knife to slice along the sides and then a tbsp to scoop). It can be difficult with some lemons, so just be patient and embrace the mess. Scoop out the pulp from the passion fruit or granadilla and remove the film inside.
Use the pulp to squeeze out the juice of the lemon and set it aside for the filling. Also, keep aside the passion fruit/granadilla pulp. Place the shells in the fridge or freezer to firm up (I placed them in the freezer).
In a small pot, heat the fresh cream and sugar over medium heat. Stir gently and bring to a gentle boil, for 2 - 3 minutes, before stirring in the lemon juice, lemon zest and passion fruit/granadilla pulp. Let it boil for another 5 minutes till it thickens.
Remove from the heat and strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any zest and passion fruit/granadilla seeds for a silky texture.
Let it cool down for 5 - 10 minutes before carefully pouring it into the lemon and passion fruit/granadilla shells, or into your dessert cups/glasses.
Refrigerate for 4 - 5 hours, or until fully set. Leave it to set overnight. The texture should be smooth, similar to cheesecake filling. If it doesn’t set, don’t stress; it works beautifully as a softer, custard-like dessert.
Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before serving. If you plan to brûlée the dessert, sprinkle a generous amount of brown sugar over the top and use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelise it, creating a crisp, crystallised topping. Work on one at a time, taking care not to burn the sugar, and ensure your dessert cups or glasses are safe for use with a blowtorch. Garnish each with 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of passion fruit/granadilla pulp, a sprig of fresh mint, and a blueberry.
If you’re not brûléeing the posset, simply garnish with 1/4 - 1/2 tsp passion fruit/granadilla pulp, a sprig of mint, and a blueberry before serving.