Cranachan

This recipe comes from The Open Arms Hotel in Lothian, Scotland

Cranachan is very Scottish, served traditionally at Halloween when charms with special significance were folded into the mixture. You might find a ring for marriage, a button for bachelorhood, a thimble for spinsterhood, coins for wealth, and horseshoes for luck. Unfortunately my Cranachan at the Open Arms contained none of these, but the flavor combination of lightly toasted oatmeal, cream, sugar, and whisky was Scottish!

• 1-1/4 cups (4-6 oz) pinhead oatmeal *
• 5 cups cream, beaten until thick
• honey
• whisky
• Strawberries or any fresh fruit in season
• Petticoat tails or shortbread biscuits

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg. C (350 deg. F)
2. Put the oatmeal in a baking dish and bake until lightly brown.
3. Mix the oatmeal and cream together, flavour with honey and whisky according to your taste.
4. Serve in individual glass dishes topped with strawberries (or other seasonal fruit) and garnished with a petticoat tail or shortbread.

* Pinhead oats are groats that have been chopped into small pieces. They’re chewier than rolled oats, and grain aficionados often prefer them for certain recipes.

Contributed by Carolyn Sherry

Thank you for sharing! Carolyn is a member of the Scottish Council and has urged her fellow members to share ancient family recipes with you.