Scotland's Favourite Summer Dessert

If there's one dessert that truly captures the spirit of the Scottish table, it's cranachan. Simple, seasonal, and utterly satisfying, it brings together four ingredients that Scotland does better than almost anywhere else on earth — raspberries, oats, cream, and whisky. It has been called the king of Scottish desserts, and on a warm June evening with a glass of something good and a bowl of this in front of you, it's very hard to argue with that title.

The dish has its roots in the traditional Scottish harvest. Farmworkers would celebrate the end of the soft fruit season — particularly the raspberry harvest in Perthshire and Angus, which have been famous raspberry-growing country for centuries — with a bowl of cream, toasted oatmeal, and whatever sweetness was to hand. In its earliest forms, the dish was made with crowdie, a crumbly fresh cheese that has been produced in Scotland since the days of the Picts. Over time, whipped double cream became the more common base, though a spoonful of crowdie stirred through still gives a beautiful tang if you can find it.

Getting Cranachan Right

The secret to a great cranachan lies in the quality of every component, because there's nowhere to hide. Start with your oats — rolled porridge oats work perfectly. Toast them in a dry pan over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until they turn a shade deeper and release that wonderful nutty fragrance. Don't rush this and don't walk away; they go from golden to burnt very quickly. Set them aside to cool completely before adding them to the cream, otherwise they'll deflate your whip in seconds.

For the whisky, choose something smooth and approachable — a Highland or Speyside single malt tends to work beautifully, lending a gentle warmth and a hint of vanilla or honey that flatters the raspberries. Save the heavily peated Islay drams for the fireside; their smokiness can overwhelm the fruit. Scottish heather honey is the ideal sweetener if you can track it down, and Scottish raspberries — grown in that cool northern light — are incomparably sweet and fragrant. Fresh are always preferable, but good frozen Scottish raspberries, fully thawed and patted dry, will serve you well outside of the summer months.

Whip your double cream to soft, billowy peaks rather than stiff ones — you want it to hold its shape without turning buttery. Fold in the whisky and honey gently, taste as you go, and don't be shy about adjusting both to your preference. The beauty of cranachan is that it has always been a dish you make your own.

Serving and Variations

Cranachan is traditionally presented in individual glasses, layered so the deep red of the raspberries shows through — it's a striking dessert that looks far more elaborate than it actually is. Finish each glass with a scatter of toasted oats and a few whole raspberries on top. It can be assembled an hour or two ahead and kept in the fridge, which has the added benefit of letting the oats soften slightly into the cream for a more yielding texture. If you prefer a bit of crunch, assemble just before serving.

Beyond the classic, cranachan lends itself to gentle improvisation. Blackberries or strawberries can stand in for raspberries when they're at their peak. A splash of Scottish rum in place of whisky makes for a richer, more indulgent version. For a Burns Night supper or Hogmanay table, cranachan is the natural way to finish the meal — a dessert that is, at its heart, a love letter to the Scottish larder.

Ingredients

• 75g rolled porridge oats
• 350ml double cream, chilled
• 3 tbsp Scottish heather honey (or good runny honey), plus extra to taste
• 3 tbsp Scottish single malt whisky, plus extra to taste
• 300g fresh raspberries (or frozen, fully thawed and drained)
• A small handful of extra raspberries, to garnish

Method

1. Place the oats in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast them, stirring constantly, for 4–6 minutes until they turn a couple of shades darker and smell nutty and fragrant. Watch them carefully — they can catch and burn quickly. Tip onto a plate and spread out to cool completely.
2. While the oats cool, place around two-thirds of the raspberries in a bowl. Use a fork to crush them lightly — you want a rough, jammy mixture with some texture remaining, not a smooth purée. Set aside. Reserve the remaining raspberries for garnish.
3. Pour the chilled double cream into a large bowl. Using an electric hand whisk or a balloon whisk, whip to soft peaks — the cream should hold its shape when you lift the whisk but still look smooth and billowy rather than stiff. Be careful not to over-whip.
4. Add the honey and whisky to the whipped cream. Fold in gently with a large spoon or spatula. Taste and adjust — add more honey if you'd like it sweeter, more whisky if you want a more pronounced warmth. Fold in most of the cooled toasted oats, reserving a tablespoon or two for the tops.
5. To assemble, spoon a layer of the crushed raspberries into the bottom of four serving glasses. Add a generous layer of the whisky cream on top. Repeat the layers — raspberries, then cream — finishing with cream on top. The exact number of layers will depend on the depth of your glasses; two layers of each works well for a standard tumbler.
6. Scatter the reserved toasted oats over the top of each glass, then arrange a few whole raspberries on top as a garnish. Drizzle with a tiny extra thread of honey if you like. Serve immediately for a bit of crunch from the oats, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving — the oats will soften into the cream, which many people prefer.