flipCranachan with Raspberries and Toasted Oats
Cranachan with Raspberries and Toasted Oats
Why this dish? A dessert of harvests and celebrations in the Highlands, cranachan brings together cream, oats, and wild raspberries — fruits picked in summer in Scotland as in the Canadian gardens of Brantford where Bell loved to rest.
A glass of whipped cream, nutty toasted oats, honey, and tart raspberries, enlivened with a dash of whisky. Festive, fresh, and crunchy all at once.
Ah, here is the dish for great occasions! When harvest time came, we whipped the thickest cream from the farm, toasted the oats until they smelled of hazelnuts, and mixed in raspberries picked along the hedgerows. A splash of Highland whisky, a drizzle of heather honey, and believe me, young man, this is a dessert that cheers even the busiest mind full of inventions. I often served it to my guests at Baddeck, on evenings when work gave way to conversation.
- •Thick farm cream — a large bowl (creamy base)
- •Medium oatmeal — a handful (toasted crunch)
- •Wild raspberries — two handfuls (tart fruit)
- •Heather honey — to taste (sweetness)
- •Highland whisky — a dash (flavor (optional))
Cranachan with Raspberries and Toasted Oats
A glass of whipped cream, nutty toasted oats, honey, and tart raspberries, enlivened with a dash of whisky. Festive, fresh, and crunchy all at once.
Why this dish? A dessert of harvests and celebrations in the Highlands, cranachan brings together cream, oats, and wild raspberries — fruits picked in summer in Scotland as in the Canadian gardens of Brantford where Bell loved to rest.
Ah, here is the dish for great occasions! When harvest time came, we whipped the thickest cream from the farm, toasted the oats until they smelled of hazelnuts, and mixed in raspberries picked along the hedgerows. A splash of Highland whisky, a drizzle of heather honey, and believe me, young man, this is a dessert that cheers even the busiest mind full of inventions. I often served it to my guests at Baddeck, on evenings when work gave way to conversation.
Ingredients (period version)
- Thick farm cream — a large bowl (creamy base)
- Medium oatmeal — a handful (toasted crunch)
- Wild raspberries — two handfuls (tart fruit)
- Heather honey — to taste (sweetness)
- Highland whisky — a dash (flavor (optional))
Ingredients
- Heavy whipping cream — 300 ml (creamy base)
- Rolled oats — 60 g (toasted crunch)
- Fresh raspberries — 250 g (tart fruit)
- Honey — 3 tbsp (sweetness)
- Whisky — 1 tbsp (optional) (flavor)
Method
- Toast the oats in a dry pan until golden and fragrant; let cool.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks with 1 tbsp of honey and, if desired, the whisky.
- Roughly mash half the raspberries with a little honey.
- In glasses, layer cream, toasted oats, mashed raspberries, and whole raspberries.
- Finish with a pinch of toasted oats and a drizzle of honey; serve immediately to keep the crunch.
How it was made : Originally more rustic, cranachan (or 'cream-crowdie') was a mixture of curdled cream, oats, and fruit served at harvest festivals. The whisky-whipped version became popular later, but the ingredients — cream, oats, berries, honey — have long been attested in the Highlands.
The contemporary twist : Served in individual glasses and topped with a mint leaf, it becomes an elegant table dessert; whisky can be replaced with raspberry syrup for children.
Sources : F. Marian McNeill, The Scots Kitchen (1929)
Alexander Graham Bell · Charactorium
