Cranachan With Caramelised Oatmeal And Raspberry Sauce Recipes

CRANACHAN WITH CARAMELISED OATMEAL AND RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the caramelised oatmeal, put 50g caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over a low heat and leave it for 5 minutes. Then take a medium-sized frying pan. Place it on a medium heat and, when the pan is hot, add the oatmeal and swirl it round in the pan constantly so it browns evenly - which it will do in 5 minutes. Then quickly remove the oatmeal to a glass heatproof jug to prevent it becoming too brown. By now the sugar crystals in the pan will have dissolved, so you can turn the heat right up and let it boil (watching it like a hawk) until it begins to turn a rich caramel colour, rather like dark runny honey. As soon as it reaches that stage, stir in the toasted oatmeal, remove it from the heat and quickly pour the mixture on to the oiled baking sheet then leave it on one side to get cool and firm (which will take approximately 15 minutes). Now break it up into small pieces then crush it in a processor until the tiny pinhead oats have become separate again. Next deal with the raspberries by putting them (still frozen) into a medium saucepan with the remaining caster sugar and heat until the raspberries start to defrost and collapse. Bring them up to a gentle simmer and cook them for about 5 minutes, then cool and whiz them to a purée in a processor and finally push through a nylon sieve to extract the pips. Now add the whisky and vanilla to the cream and whip it to the floppy stage. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the caramelised oatmeal for garnish, then fold in the rest into the whipped cream. Put a heaped tablespoonful of cream in each glass, then a couple of tablespoonfuls of purée and repeat, finishing with the cream. Lastly sprinkle on the reserved oatmeal. Cover and chill in the fridge till needed.

ICED RASPBERRY CRANACHAN

Steps:

• Spread the oatmeal and sugar evenly over a tray lined with foil. Toast under a medium grill for 10-15 mins, until browned and caramelised - stir regularly to prevent the mix from burning and sticking. Leave to cool on the tray before peeling off. Break into small chunks and set aside. Grease and line a 900g loaf with cling film, making sure that it does not tear.
• Push the raspberries through a sieve into a bowl to remove any seeds and create a purée. Stir in the whisky, if using, and set aside. Whisk the eggs and honey in a large bowl over a pan of barely simmering water until pale, thick and roughly doubled in volume, then remove from the heat.
• Whip the cream in a separate bowl until it is thick and just stands in soft peaks. Fold the egg mixture into the cream, followed by the oatmeal chunks. Carefully stir through the raspberry purée in a zig-zag so that you get a rippled effect. Pour the mix into the prepared tin, cover with more cling film and put in the freezer for 10-12 hrs (or overnight) until set.
• To serve, remove from the freezer, unwrap the top layer of cling film and turn onto your serving plate. Tease out the iced mixture using the cling film. Cut into slices and serve immediately. Sprinkle with whole raspberries and make extra purée to serve alongside, if you like.

CRANACHAN

Steps:

• To toast the oatmeal, spread it out on a baking sheet and grill until it smells rich and nutty. It will not darken quickly, so use your sense of smell to tell you when it is nutty enough. Cool the oatmeal.
• Make a raspberry purée by crushing half the fruit and sieving. Sweeten this to taste with a little caster sugar. Whisk the double cream until just set, and stir in the honey and whisky, trying not to over-whip the cream. Taste the mix and add more of either if you feel the need.
• Stir in the oatmeal and whisk lightly until the mixture is just firm. Alternate layers of the cream with the remaining whole raspberries and purée in 4 serving dishes. Allow to chill slightly before eating.