Syllabubs & Possets

Syllabubs and the closely related ‘possets’ are dairy dishes for which we find the first recipes in the sixteenth century. They were initially a kind of frothy drink but over time evolved to become a pudding.

Possets were made by pouring hot spiced cream from a height into eggs beaten with wine, such as sack. They were usually served hot in the spouted ceramic posset pots in which they were made. Syllabubs were cold and served in dainty spouted glasses that were nearly identical in shape to posset pots. In the eighteenth century, special bell-top glasses were produced which were a little less fragile than the spouted syllabub glasses. In both cases the liquid part would separate from the cream and was sucked through the spout while the creamy froth was eaten with a spoon.