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Cranachan is synonymous with traditional Scottish desserts and to me, the perfect Cranachan consists of a mix of whipped cream, raspberries, whisky, toasted oatmeal and heather honey.
It might not sound like anything special but when combined, it makes this light but really indulgent traditional Scottish dessert recipe.
Traditionally, Cranachan would have been made by using crowdie or perhaps a mixture of both cream/crowdie and while we now typically associate it with dessert, it was more commonly known as a breakfast dish.
Now, if you aren’t familiar with crowdie, it is a soft Scottish cheese made from cows milk that has a slightly sour yet creamy/crumbly texture. Crowdie may very well be more palatable for breakfast Cranachan but I’m also very aware that crowdie is not as easily accessible out with Scotland (and likely not to everyone’s tastes!), which is why we are using double cream in this recipe.
You can buy crowdie in some of the big supermarkets, here in Scotland at least and I 100% remember churning crowdie at school so if you are looking to create an authentic crowdie, it can be done.
I appreciate that many people may not drink alcohol and I also wanted to keep this family-friendly, so if you are looking to create Cranachan without whisky, swap the whisky in the recipe for some orange juice and it will be just as delicious.
However, if you do want the full Scottish experience, try soaking around 2/3 of your toasted oats overnight in 1-2tbsp Scotch whisky before folding the oats into the cream, just before serving.
This is a popular Scottish pudding to serve on Burns Night, St Andrews Day or at ceilidhs and other Scottish events. Try serving it with some gingerbread biscuits or some shortbread on the side for added texture!
I really hope that you enjoy this recipe for Cranachan!
*Cranachan pronunciation – kra-neh-ch-in. The ‘ch’ is pronounced in a similar manner as ‘loch’ or ‘Bach’ and not as a ‘K’ sound.
Overview
Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Ingredients
- 480ml Double cream (2 cups)
- 70g Steel cut oats (1/2 cup)
- 250g Fresh raspberries (2 cups)
- 2-3tbsp Whisky
- 2tbsp Honey (Heather honey if possible)
Optional
- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the whisky with orange juice
Utensils
- 6 Glasses
Alternative – one large bowl - Whisk
- Saucepan/Oven tray
Instructions
- Firstly, we are going to toast your 70g oats.
You can do this by using a heavy bottomed pan over a low-medium heat or by placing them on a baking tray and popping them under the grill.
These cook quickly so don’t leave unattended.
Once toasted and have a faint nutty smell, remove from the heat and place in a bowl before setting aside and allowing to cool.
- Next, pick up your raspberries and I recommend picking out some of the most aesthetically pleasing ones for decoration later.
Crush the remaining raspberries in a bowl, using a fork.
They don’t need to be perfect! Lumps are fine and add a more rustic texture.
- Take a bowl and whip your double cream until it becomes stiff enough to hold its shape and form small peaks.
Once whipped, fold in your whisky (if using) and honey.
And then fold in your around 2/3 of your toasted oats. I recommend leaving some oats aside for decoration at the end.
- Now you are ready to place it all in your chosen serve ware so this is where you can make it your own!
You are looking to create layers, so whether that is a bottom layer of raspberries topped with a layer of cream or whether you want to alternate until you have two or three layers of each, that is up to you!
However you choose to do it, I would recommend laying some of the raspberry first and finishing with a layer of cream on top.
For decoration, sprinkle your remaining raspberries and oats along with a drizzle of honey.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate your Cranachan for up to an hour but remove from the fridge 20-30 minutes before serving for best taste.
Enjoy!
Storage
Cranachan won’t keep well for long, so I would recommend making it on the day its required.
It can be refrigerated for a couple of hours but I would recommend eating on the day of making.
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