Karen Wright: Traditional Scottish cranachan, scrumptious and easy to make

Karen’s delicious cranachanKaren’s delicious cranachan
Karen’s delicious cranachan
The last few months have been hectic!

I have had a fabulous time but I am home from my travels now and looking forward to all the fabulous things that autumn brings.

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Coincidentally, autumn is one of my four favourite seasons! Did you get the joke there?

Anyway, I jumped right back into work mode with my monthly chat on BBC Radio Leeds. This month my subject was cranachan, the traditional Scottish dessert.

I decided to talk about this as I was fresh from my trip to Scotland. Also, while there, I made a massive dishful. It was my contribution to a buffet supper we had with our friends up in the lodges we were staying at, just outside Oban. The lodge park is called Lagnakeil Highland Lodges and is managed by our friends Rocco and Rosheen. It is a great place to stay.

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Anyway, back to cranachan, it is the easiest thing to make. This is what you do ...

Firstly, empty a pot of double cream into a bowl and add some whisky and honey, use your own discretion and taste buds to decide how much. Whip it up to soft peaks. Next, place some porridge oats into a dry frying pan and toast them just until they start to change colour slightly. Then, either in a trifle bowl or individual glasses, layer the oats and whipped cream with fresh raspberries in between.

Traditionally, this is served around New Year but is delicious anytime. The picture shows the one I made with the Scottish landscape as the backdrop.

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After the radio chat I got busy in my kitchen. I was hosting another Bake with a Legend class via Zoom. This week we were making mini leek and mushroom pies. The class was full but we had only one person from the UK, one person from Cape Town and all the others were from the States. I am now busy developing recipes for more classes. This week, my mind keeps returning to Scotland and I am thinking about vegetarian haggis sausage rolls!

A quick shout now for an event this Sunday at Hall Green Sports and Social Club. This is local for me, and I am donating a cake. It is a Rob Burrow charity day to raise funds for MND. Rob and his family will be there. It is £2 entrance. A match kicks off at 11am and there will be activities for children, a raffle and a mini auction.