Cranachan

Name: Cranachan
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 50 g coarse oatmeal or rolled porridge oats; 350 ml double cream; 3 tbsp scottish heather honey; 3 tbsp scotch whisky; 300 g fresh scottish raspberries; 1 tsp caster sugar; 0.5 tsp pure vanilla extract; 4 sprigs fresh mint sprigs

A classic Scottish dessert of whipped cream and heather honey infused with Scotch whisky, layered with tart fresh raspberries and toasted oatmeal.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· Highlands

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 5 min
Total: 20 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 460 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

50 g coarse oatmeal or rolled porridge oats — traditional pinhead oatmeal or standard coarse oats
350 ml double cream — well chilled
3 tbsp scottish heather honey — runny honey
3 tbsp scotch whisky — Speyside single malt or smooth blended Scotch
300 g fresh scottish raspberries — divided into puree and garnish
1 tsp caster sugar — to lightly sweeten tart berries
½ tsp pure vanilla extract — for subtle depth
4 sprigs fresh mint sprigs — for garnish

Equipment

•Dry frying pan
•Large mixing bowl
•Electric hand whisk or balloon whisk
•Four glass tumblers or dessert bowls
•Flexible spatula

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 460 kcal
fat: 36 g
carbs: 28 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 460 kcal

Instructions

1
Tip the oatmeal into a dry frying pan set over medium heat on the hob.
2
Toast the oats for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until nutty-smelling and golden brown.
3
Transfer the toasted oatmeal onto a wide plate immediately and leave to cool completely.
4
Place half of the fresh raspberries and caster sugar into a bowl and crush lightly with a fork.
5
Pour the cold double cream and vanilla extract into a chilled large mixing bowl.
6
Whisk the double cream until it forms soft, pillowy peaks.
7
Pour in the Scotch whisky and heather honey, folding gently with a spatula to incorporate.
8
Fold through three-quarters of the cooled toasted oatmeal, reserving the remainder for decoration.
9
Spoon alternating layers of whisky cream, crushed raspberries, and whole berries into four dessert glasses.
10
Top with the remaining whole raspberries, a scattering of reserved toasted oatmeal, and a mint sprig.

Chef's tips

Ensure the toasted oatmeal is fully cooled before folding into the cream to prevent the cream from melting and turning runny. Whisk the double cream only to soft peaks, as folding in the whisky and honey will thicken it further.

Ingredient substitutions

double cream → a blend of half double cream and half crowdie (Scottish soft curd cheese) or full-fat Greek yoghurt
Scotch whisky → apple juice or 1 teaspoon of additional vanilla extract for an alcohol-free version
heather honey → wildflower honey or pure Scottish blossom honey

Storage

Store assembled glasses covered in the fridge for up to 12 hours, noting that the oatmeal will gradually soften.

Reheating

This is a cold dessert and should not be reheated.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding warm toasted oats directly to the whipped cream, causing the fat to split.
•Over-whipping the cream into stiff, grainy butter before adding the liquid whisky and honey.
•Crushing all the raspberries into a smooth jam rather than leaving texture and whole berries.

Serving suggestions

Serve chilled in individual glass tumblers with traditional Scottish butter shortbread on the side.Present ingredients in separate rustic bowls at the table for guests to assemble their own Cranachan.Garnish with a light drizzle of extra heather honey just before serving.