How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (2024)

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Elaine Lemm

How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (1)

Elaine Lemm

Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.

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Updated on 06/1/24

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How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (2)

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How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (3)

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Chill Time: 60 mins

Total: 75 mins

Servings: 6 servings

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Scotland has a wonderful relationship with desserts and traditional Scottish cranachan (CRA-neh-kinn) is a classic. A cranachan is a very quick, easy recipe that includes oats, raspberries, cream, malt whisky, and honey. The ingredients are then layered, as you would with a trifle, for a pretty presentation. It's a festive sweet that is perfect for any celebration, especially Christmas and Hogmanay, and rounds off a Burns Night supper beautifully. The origin of the word cranachan in Scots Gaelic means "churn." You will sometimes hear the dessert called "crowdie," as the cheese of the same name was sometimes used instead of the whipped cream.

While pinhead oats or steel-cut oats are perhaps more traditional for this dish, rolled oats are perfectly fine to use. The key is toasting the oats until they smell nutty. If you do use pinhead oats, expect the dish to have a bit more texture. However, any variety of oats will soften as the dessert sits.

Scottish cranachan is too good to save just for special occasions and is especially tasty in summer when fresh Scottish raspberries (or any raspberries, for that matter) are in season. Serve along with some Scottish shortbread for the ultimate Scottish dessert.

What You'll Need to Make This Scottish Cranachan Recipe

A Nice Heavy Skillet
A Nifty Food Processor
A Zippy Stand Mixer

How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (7)

"The oats remain a bit crunchy, which is a nice contrast against the smooth whipped cream. The sharp raspberry flavor plays well with the malty notes in the whisky. This dessert is not overly sweet, rather light and refreshing." —Melissa Gray

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (55 grams) steel-cut oats, pinhead oats, or rolled oats

  • 1 1/2 cups (250 grams) fresh raspberries, Scottish if possible, divided

  • 2 cups (475 milliliters) heavy cream, or double cream

  • 3tablespoonsmalt whisky, good quality, optional

  • 1 tablespoon honey, or Scottish honey, more for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (8)

  2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet on medium-high heat until hot, but not burning.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (9)

  3. Add the1/4 cup (55 grams) streel-cut oats (pinhead oats or rolled oats) and, while stirring constantly, toast until they have a light, nutty smell and begin to change color, about 3 minutes. (Do not leave the oats unattended, as they can quickly burn.)Remove immediately from the pan.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (10)

  4. Remove 1/4 cup of the fresh raspberries (Scottish if possible) for garnishing later, and place the remaining 1 1/4 cup raspberries in a food processor. Pulse once or twice to create a thick purée; do not over-blend it. It's okay if there are a few bigger lumps of berries.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (11)

  5. Alternatively, you can simply crush the raspberries with a fork. This will give you a more rustic-looking dish.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (12)

  6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the 2 cups (475 milliliters) heavy cream along with the 3 tablespoons malt whisky (optional) to form firm peaks, about 3 minutes. Alternatively, use a hand-held electric mixer. Take care not to overwhip.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (13)

  7. Fold in 1 tablespoon honey, if using, followed by the toasted oats.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (14)

  8. Layer the dessert into either a glass bowl (1 1/2 quart or 6 cup capacity) or individual serving glasses, starting with either a layer of the cream or raspberries and finishing with a layer of the cream. If you wish, you can sprinkle a little raw oatmeal on the top for decoration.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (15)

  9. Cover the bowl or glasses with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 1 hour.

  10. To serve the cranachan, drizzle over a little extra honey, if desired, top with the reserved whole raspberries, and if you fancy, add a piece or two of Scottish shortbread.

    How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (16)

How to Store Scottish Cranachan Recipe

This recipe doesn't store well, so plan on eating it within several hours of preparing.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • No alcohol, no problem! - You can substitute 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract for the whisky if desired.

Classic Scottish Tipsy Laird Trifle

  • British Desserts
  • Desserts
  • Berry Recipes
  • Christmas Desserts
  • New Year's Desserts
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
311Calories
29g Fat
10g Carbs
3g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories311
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g38%
Saturated Fat 18g92%
Cholesterol 90mg30%
Sodium 22mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 10g4%
Dietary Fiber 3g10%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 9mg43%
Calcium 64mg5%
Iron 1mg3%
Potassium 146mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Berry
  • dessert
  • scottish
  • christmas

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How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert (2024)

FAQs

How to Make a Quick and Easy Scottish Cranachan Dessert? ›

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.

What is the most famous Scottish dessert cranachan made of? ›

Cranachan
CourseDessert
Place of originScotland
Main ingredientsWhipped cream, whisky, honey (preferably heather honey), raspberries, oatmeal
1 more row

Why is cranachan important to Scotland? ›

Cranachan was traditionally served at special occasions such as weddings and festivals, and it was also popular among soldiers and hunters as a nourishing and energizing snack.

What dessert do you eat on Burns Night? ›

Cranachan. A classic Scottish dessert, cranachan is a beautiful medley of double cream, toasted oats, raspberries, honey and a great big slosh of whisky. It's the perfect ending to a Burns Night feast.

What does the word cranachan mean? ›

Cranachan is a traditional Scottish dessert made of raspberries, cream and oatmeal with the addition of whiskey and honey. The word Cranachan comes from the Gaelic word, meaning “churn”. In some parts of Scotland, it is known as the cream crowdie.

What is the most popular Scottish sweet? ›

Shortbread - A Biscuit for All Occasions

Of all the Scottish sweets, shortbread has perhaps the broadest appeal. Its humble ingredients belie its rich taste and historical significance.

What is a cranachan in Gaelic? ›

The origin of the word cranachan in Scots Gaelic means "churn." You will sometimes hear the dessert called "crowdie," as the cheese of the same name was sometimes used instead of the whipped cream.

What is a Scottish sweet? ›

View Range DELICIOUS SCOTTISH SWEETS Include: Boiled Sweets, Caramels, Chocolate Creams, Liquorice, Retro Sweets, Rock, Soft Creams & Soft Rock and Toffee.

What is Scotland's national cake? ›

Today, Dundee cake remains one of the most popular Scottish food and drink specialties – alongside shortbread, whisky and black pudding. It is said that the cake was originally made for Mary Queen of Scots in the 16th century.

What is the most famous Scottish meal? ›

Scotland's iconic national dish known as haggis consists of sausage meat made from the innards of the sheep mixed with onions, oatmeal, suet, stock, dried herbs and other seasonings.

What does pudding mean in Scotland? ›

Unless qualified, however, pudding usually means dessert and in the United Kingdom, pudding is used as a synonym for dessert. Puddings made for dessert can be boiled and steamed puddings, baked puddings, bread puddings, batter puddings, milk puddings or even jellies.

What do Scots eat on Burns Night? ›

Serve up a Scottish supper to remember with a classic smoked fish soup and the essential haggis, neeps and tatties - all rounded off with a traditional clootie dumpling. Delicious!

What is a healthy dessert at night? ›

Fruit Bars

Blending fresh fruit and freezing into popsicles is the perfect substitute for ice cream—vitamins from fresh fruit without heavy cream or added sugar is a sweet treat sans the extra calories.

What are neeps in Scotland? ›

Neeps are what Scots, Irish and a lot of Northern English people call turnips - ie the big orange veg. Others call those a swede. The wee white ones - whether you call those a turnip or not - are not part of a 'neeps and tatties' recipe.

What is haggis made of? ›

A traditional haggis recipe describes haggis as "sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal's stomach and boiled".

What is Scottish pudding made of? ›

Dundee Cake Traditional Scottish Pudding

The recipe has stood the test of time. Straight out of cookbooks from the 1600s, this cake only requires a few key ingredients. Flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and baking powder are complemented by Seville marmalade, almonds, raisins, and of course, a generous amount of orange zest.

What is cranaghan? ›

Cranaghan is a townland in the Parish of Tomregan, Barony of Loughtee Lower, County Cavan, Ireland. Slieve Russell Hotel and Golf Course.

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