I·ATE Food Term of the Week: Cranachan

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Cranachan, from the Scottish Gaelic Crannachan is a Scottish traditional dessert.

In the past, it was originally known as crowdie cream because a soft Scottish cheese called crowdie was used in the place of cream, along with oats, whisky, honey and fresh raspberries.

Traditionally this delicious dessert is served on special occasions like Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night, but in previous times, this used to be prepared only during harvest times.

There are many versions of this Scottish pudding however; the simplest recipe contains toasted pinhead oatmeal, whisky, honey and cream. And the recipe is really easy to make!

Please see below the ingredients and method to prepare this wee yummy Scottish dessert

Ingredients:

2 tbsp medium

300g raspberries

A little caster sugar

350ml double cream

2 tbsp honey

2-3 tbsp whisky

Method:

Make a raspberry puree by crushing half the fruit and sieving. Sweeten this to taste with a little caster sugar. Whisk the double cream until just set, and stir in the honey and whisky, trying not to over-whip the cream. Taste the mix and add more of either if you feel the need.

To toast the oatmeal, spread it out on a baking sheet and grill until it smells rich and nutty. It will not darken quickly, so use your sense of smell to tell you when it is nutty enough. Cool the oatmeal.

Stir in the oatmeal and whisk lightly until the mixture is just firm. Alternate layers of the cream with the remaining whole raspberries and puree in 4 serving dishes. Allow to chill slightly before eating.

References:

Cloake F. How to make the perfect cranachan. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/13/how-to-make-perfect-cranachan-scottish-dessert-recipe. Published August 13, 2015. Accessed July 2, 2019.

Cranachan – traditional Scottish dessert with whipped cream, roasted oatmeal and raspberries. Cranachan Traditional Scottish Dessert Whipped Cream Stock Photo (Edit Now) 1176420154. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cranachan-traditional-scottish-dessert-whipped-cream-1176420154. Accessed July 2, 2019.

Dictionary of the Scots Language:: SND :: sndns1013. Dictionary of the Scots Language:: SND :: sndns1013. https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sndns1013. Accessed July 2, 2019.

Food G. Cranachan. BBC Good Food. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/648633/cranachan. Published July 1, 2010. Accessed July 2, 2019.

Greenaway M, Greenaway M. Traditional Scottish recipe: Cranachan. Scotsman Food and Drink. https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/recipes/traditional-scottish-recipe-cranachan/. Accessed July 2, 2019.

info@undiscoveredscotland.co.uk US. Undiscovered Scotland. Cranachan Recipe Page on Undiscovered Scotland. https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usrecipes/cranachan/index.html. Accessed July 2, 2019.

Kirkwood K. CRANACHAN – a Highland Dessert. Kathleen Kirkwood Historical Romance. http://kathleenkirkwood.blogspot.com/2012/07/cranachan-highland-dessert.html. Published January 1, 1970. Accessed July 2, 2019.

Search. BBC Good Food. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search/recipes/date/1277938800. Accessed July 2, 2019.

Slater N. Nigel Slater’s classic cranachan recipe. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global/2010/sep/12/nigel-slater-classic-cranachan-recipe-whisky-oatmeal. Published September 11, 2010. Accessed July 2, 2019.


Written by Maria Blanca Escudero Fontan, trainee in the Direction of the Directorate B and in TermCoord. Holds a Degree in Translation and Interpretation ( Universidade de Vigo) and a MA in International Studies (USC).