Cranachan
Cranachan is a traditional Scottish dessert served at the Stephens in Arbroath in A Secret Scottish Christmas. Today, it's usually made from a mixture of whipped cream, whisky, honey, and fresh raspberries topped with toasted oatmeal. But in the Regency era, whisky was the equivalent of moonshine and the upper classes would have used brandy if they wanted to make it with liquor.
Some of the best raspberries in the world are grown in Scotland, but in winter, bottled and preserved raspberries would be used. Today you can use frozen raspberries out of season, of course. If no cream was available, a traditional cream cheese called Crowdie was used.
A traditional way to serve the dessert is to bring dishes of each ingredient to the table, so that each person can assemble their dessert to taste.
Some of the best raspberries in the world are grown in Scotland, but in winter, bottled and preserved raspberries would be used. Today you can use frozen raspberries out of season, of course. If no cream was available, a traditional cream cheese called Crowdie was used.
A traditional way to serve the dessert is to bring dishes of each ingredient to the table, so that each person can assemble their dessert to taste.
Ingredients
Instructions
- ⅓ cup + ¼ cup steel cut (pinhead) oats
- ⅓ cup Scotch whisky (Glenfiddich or Glenlivet, use a top quality brand)
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 3 tbsp. Scotch whisky
- 3 tbsp. organic raw honey
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- The night before you want to make the dessert, toast ⅓ 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 ⅓ cup (3 oz) of whisky. Cover and let stand overnight to soak.
- When you are ready to make the Cranachan, toast the second batch of oats, exactly the same as you did the first. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Choose a few choice raspberries to decorate the top and set them aside.
- 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, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of whisky. Mix well and set aside.
- 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 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 of the raspberries to cover the bottom of the glass, then add some of the cream mixture.
- 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.
