Cranachan is a Scottish pudding made with raspberries, oatmeal, honey, cream, and whiskey. It is often served in a wine flute and can be customized with different fruits or nuts. The oatmeal must be toasted, and the cream is whipped with whiskey and honey before adding mashed raspberries. Some chefs use cream cheese instead of cream for a traditional touch.
In Scotland, a popular style of pudding is called cranachan, often served to complement a fresh batch of raspberries. Many Scots still refer to the dessert as “cream crowdie,” a throwback to when a local cheese called crowdie was a key component in place of the current method involving cream only. In addition to the raspberries and cream, the pudding also contains oatmeal, honey and a little whiskey to elevate the final taste.
Often packaged in a stylish wine flute, cranachan is often served as a restaurant dessert or for special occasions. Many stir raspberries into the pudding, while saving a top layer for a better aesthetic. Some leave raspberries — and tradition — behind for another seasonal fruit like peaches, apples or bananas.
The oatmeal must be toasted for the cranachan to have a distinctive flavor and appearance. This involves heating dry oatmeal in an unboiled skillet over medium-low heat until it takes on a light brown color. Without oil, this could take up to 25 minutes. Others simply cook the oatmeal for a few minutes over high heat in the oven. After browning, the oatmeal is then chilled in the refrigerator.
While cooling, the binding substance for cranachan pudding, the custard, should be poured into a large metal bowl. A serving batch for two should include one cup (280 mL) of heavy cream and at least 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of oatmeal. The cream is whipped to a frothy consistency in a bowl, then at least 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of malt whiskey and honey are combined with the whipped cream. A few more whisks and the cream will be infused with added sweetness and bitterness.
Before serving, many chefs mash fresh raspberries and add the juice and macerated chunks to the pudding, for color and texture. Other raspberries are left untouched for decoration. With fruit whipped into the pudding, the final presentation typically calls for pouring a few raspberries into a glass, followed by the pudding. On top of each serving, many also add a few more raspberries along with a spoonful of toasted oatmeal for garnish and added delicacy.
After understanding the basics, many swap key ingredients for others with a slightly different taste or texture. Using another fruit besides raspberries is one way to prepare an original recipe. Another way is to substitute the oatmeal for a crushed nut such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts. To make a version even more unique, some use a cream cheese, like old-fashioned crowdie cheese, instead of cream to make the dish perfectly traditional.
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