Burns Night is the celebration of Scottish bard, Robert Burns, and falls on 25th January every year. Following a dinner of haggis, neeps and tatties, let us help you whip up the ultimate Scottish dessert – Cranachan.
The word itself is Scottish Gaelic in origin and means “churn”. This refers to the way Cranachan is made. Traditionally, it was made with crowdie – a soft, fresh cheese made from cow’s milk. In some parts of Scotland you may hear the dessert referred to as ‘cream crowdie’, although crowdie is not so common any more. Originally, Cranachan was made for the harvest celebration, using the fresh crop of juicy Scottish raspberries. But today it’s popular year round, especially for Burns night, and celebrates top quality Scottish ingredients; raspberries, whisky and staple of Scottish cuisine – oats.
Follow our recipe below for a delicious Cranachan which you can make ahead of time. For non-drinkers and children, use a few drops of vanilla extract instead of whisky.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp medium oats
- 300g raspberries
- caster sugar to taste
- 350ml double cream
- 2tbsp heather honey
- 2-3tbsp whisky, to taste
We recommend choosing a Lowland or Speyside whisky as the smokiness of more peaty varieties may be a little odd with the other sweet ingredients
*Make sure your oats are spread evenly in a thin layer over a lightly greased baking sheet. During toasting, occasionally stir the oats to prevent burning and ensure they are toasted evenly. Don’t use any oil as it will affect the flavour and texture of the oats.
When you’re ready to serve, simply remove from the fridge and garnish with a sprinkling of toasted oats, a few whole raspberries and a couple of mint leaves for colour.
Now… Where are the bagpipes?!