cranachan

A very traditional Scottish dessert made with oats, cream, whisky and raspberries. Very delicious, if you haven't already guessed!

Cranachan, A Lovely Scottish Dessert (recipe for US kitchens)

(2 oz)

(12 oz) fresh raspberries

Scotch whisky

tbsp organic raw honey

tsp sugar

The night before you want to make the...

The night before you want to make the dessert, toast 1/3 cup (2 oz) of the oats in a cast iron or very heavy pan until very lightly browned- this won't take long, so keep a close eye, as you don't want burnt oats. Put the oats in a bowl and cover with 1/3 cup (3 oz) of whisky. Cover and let stand overnight to soak.

When you are ready to make the Cranachan,...

When you are ready to make the Cranachan, toast the second batch of oats, exactly the same as you did the first ones. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Choose a few choice raspberries to decorate the...

Choose a few choice raspberries to decorate the tops and set them aside.

Crush the rest of the raspberries in a...

Crush the rest of the raspberries in a bowl, with a spatula or fork, (just a bit, we're not making jam).

Sprinkle the raspberries with 2 teaspoons of sugar,...

Sprinkle the raspberries with 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of whisky. Mix well and set aside.

Whip the cream until it starts to thicken,...

Whip the cream until it starts to thicken, then add the other 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of whisky. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form, then fold in the whisky-soaked oats.

At this point, we are ready to assemble...

At this point, we are ready to assemble the dessert. I would recommend doing this relatively close to serving time as the dessert will taste better fresh (if possible, don't make it in the morning to serve for dinner).

Place a spoonful or two, to cover the...

Place a spoonful or two, to cover the bottom of the glass, of the raspberries, then add some of the cream mixture.

Sprinkle the cream with some of the toasted...

Sprinkle the cream with some of the toasted oats, then repeat the layers. Finish with the sprinkled oats and top with a raspberry or three.

Refrigerate until ready to eat, but take them...

Refrigerate until ready to eat, but take them out about 20 minutes before serving, for better flavor.

Originally, the traditional Scottish cranachan celebrated the harvest, but now it is enjoyed year-round. There are many variations, but in all of them the trick is the slow toasting of the oatmeal; this is then mixed into the dish at the last minute so that its texture is retained. The quantities given here for the cardamom honey make a full jar, much more than you need for this amount of cranachan, but it will keep indefinitely; it is great over granola and in coffee.

Scottish cranachan with a wee twist

x 250 grams/9 ounces jar clear honey

cardamom pods, seeds only,

grams/1½oz oatmeal

raspberries

400 milliliters/14fl oz double cream

tbsp cardamom honey (from above),

tbsp malt whisky

rosewater,

rose petals, to garnish (optional)

A cheesecake with a traditional Scottish twist

Scottish Cranachan Cheesecake

shortbread biscuits

g oatmeal (medium oatmeal)

butter

g cream cheese

sour cream

eggs

sugar

75 g caster sugar

water

150 ml whipping cream

tbsp runny honey

Preheat oven to 170c/325f/Gas 3

Use a springform cake tin and line with paper and lightly grease.

Whizz the base ingredients together in food processor till it comes together in a sandy lump.

Press into prepared cake tin making sure you get it right into the edges and up the sides as well.

Set aside in the fridge to firm up.

Beat together the cream cheese and crowdie (ir using) along with the sugar.

Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating as you add the sour cream.

Pour the mixture into the chilled base and push in the raspberries all over the filling.

Place the cake tin into a baking tin and pour in boiling water up to half way up the sides of the cake tin you are using. This is a Bain Marie and means that the cake will cook more gently with it's bath of water around it.

Bake for 1 hour or until the top is golden but the cake still has a wee bit of a wobble about it.

Switch off the oven and open the door and just let the cake sit there and very gently cool down for an hour.

Keep it in its tin and set aside in the fridge overnight.

Remove from fridge at least an hour before serving and carefully remove from the baking tin.

Make the topping by heating the raspberries and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Cool and then spoon this over the cheesecake.

Serve with the whipped cream mixed with runny honey and whisky.

It's super easy to whip up Mary Berry's classic Scottish cranachan. Hold back some of the crunchy oats and raspberries for a pretty topping, but don't hold back on the whisky!


Cranachan

100 grams/3½oz light muscovado sugar

grams/3½oz jumbo oats

mascarpone

300 milliliters/½ pint double cream

75 milliliters/2½fl oz whisky

450 grams/1lb raspberries

This recipe is based on a traditional Scottish cranachan but with the addition of half-fat crème fraiche to lighten the cream mixture and some flaked almonds for extra crunch. 

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