A Simple Dessert: Martha's Lime Pudding Cups

I took advantage of today's April showers by staying indoors and cooking up a little something sweet. The word "cooking" may be a bit of an exaggeration, actually, since the recipe I used required just ten minutes of stove-top time! I made Martha's lime pudding cups, which are featured in the May issue of Martha Stewart Living on page 30 in the Good Things section: I highly recommend it.  With just six ingredients and the promise of a silky pudding texture with the delicious bite of lime, I was enticed to give it a try.

The dessert is based on a British dessert called posset, which is a simple mixture of cream, sugar and citrus juice (lemon or lime) often served with shortbread. In this recipe, the addition of crumbled graham crackers on top replaces the shortbread and adds a nice crunch, conjuring taste memories of citrus tarts; a pleasant texture contrast.  The lack of gelatin or eggs was another appealing factor for me; the chemical reaction that occurs between the acidity of the citrus juice and the mellowness of the hot cream creates a pudding-like texture without the use of additional ingredients or prolonged cooking time. Neat! I was smitten and very pleased with the results. I'll be making these again!

Here is the recipe:

In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of heavy cream, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of finely-grated lime zest and a pinch of kosher salt to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until reduced to 2 cups, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat: stir in 1/3 cup of freshly-squeezed lime juice. Let cool for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve in a liquid measuring cup, discarding any solids. Divide evenly among six glasses. Refrigerate until set, at least two hours. Top the cups with sweetened whipped cream, crumbled graham crackers and more grated lime zest; serve.