Hard to say, yet fun to eat, Cranachan is a trifle layered with raspberries, whipped cream, and toasted oats, all spiked with whisky. It's traditionally eaten on Hogmanay (Scotland's New Year's Eve) or as dessert for a Burns Night supper. Potent and utterly delicious, it's a tasty adults-only treat, perfect for when you want a no-bake dessert!
2cups(240grams)raspberries, fresh or frozen, see Recipe Notes
3tablespoons(63grams)honey
2teaspoons(2teaspoons)granulated sugar
2cups(476grams)heavy cream, aka double cream (UK)
Instructions
Prepare the oats: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the oats and toast until very lightly browned, stirring frequently to keep from burning. Put the half of the oats in a bowl and add ⅓ cup (70 grams) of the whisky. Cover the bowl and let the oats stand on the counter for several hours to soften. Set the rest aside.
Prepare the raspberries: Select a few raspberries (about 3 per serving) for garnish and set aside. Place the remaining raspberries in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar and 1 tablespoon each of the honey and whisky (or to taste). Lightly mash the mixture and let macerate until it’s softened, but not mushy. Set aside.
Prepare the whipped cream: In a medium chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer until it just starts to thicken, then add the remaining honey and whisky (or to taste). Continue whipping just until stiff peaks form (don't overwhip or you'll get whisky-flavored butter). Fold in the whisky-soaked oats.
Assemble the Cranachan: This dessert comes together in layers like a trifle.
Spoon some of the macerated raspberries in a low ball glass to cover the bottom, then add a layer of the cream mixture. Next sprinkle with some of the toasted oats.
Repeat the layers, finishing with the toasted oats. Garnish with the reserved raspberries.
Refrigerate until ready to eat, taking them out about 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy & slainté!
Make-ahead instructions: You can toast the oats, macerate the raspberries, and make the whipped cream a few hours before serving. It's best to assemble the desserts as close to serving time as possible, but the trifles can sit in the refrigerator for a few hours until you're ready to serve them.
Recipe Notes
Choose a scotch you like to drink. It can be single malt or blended, cask strength or not. It all depends on how strong you want the Cranachan to be.Use fresh raspberries if possible. If you're going to use frozen raspberries, let them thaw in a colander to drain away the access liquid.A word about portion sizes - the actual number of servings you'll get from this Cranachan recipe will depend on the size of your glass and how high you make the trifle layers. It's a rich and boozy dessert. You can also scale the recipe up if you want to make a large trifle in a trifle bowl. Figure about 6 to 8 servings, depending on the size of your bowl.