Co-founder Claire's White Chocolate, Oatmeal & Berry Cranachan recipe for Burns Night

Co-founder Claire's White Chocolate, Oatmeal & Berry Cranachan recipe for Burns Night

With it being Burns Night today, I thought it would be fun to share with you my Chococo twist on this classic Scottish dessert to enjoy at the end of a traditional Haggis Supper (or for a super pudd at the end of any dinner for that matter!).

The Chococo twist is of course the inclusion of white chocolate & I have also made a crunchy toasted oatmeal brittle which is quite different to how the oatmeal is usually included, just being toasted and sprinkled through the flavoured cream.
I am a fan of Drambuie but single malt whisky is of course even more traditional and it would work just as well with that.  Being half Scottish myself and hugely influenced in my love of food by my Scottish mother & Granny, I have a particular love of Burns Night and we always celebrate it to connect our children to their Scottish ancestory, despite us living on the south coast in Dorset. In fact, we will be having a big haggis supper this weekend and our local butchers in Swanage is able to order a giant chieftain haggis for us from McSweens in Edinburgh!

This year for the first time, we also created a Cranachan truffle with these ingredients and it is still available to order online or buy from our chocolate houses in Swanage, Winchester or Exeter if you also fancy a wee truffle to finish your Burns dinner!

This recipe was also included in our Chococo Cookbook which I believe is still available to order on Amazon but sadly, we have no more copies to sell. 

I will sign off with the first verse of one of Robert Burns' poems that you might not realise was penned by him:

"My love is like a red, red rose
That's newly sprung in June:
My live is like the melody
That's sweetly played in tune"


Wishing you a fun Burns Night full of haggis, cranachan, whisky & poetry!


Serves 4

Ingredients: 

50g medium oatmeal
100g golden caster sugar
125ml whipping cream
150g white chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp Drambuie or whisky, plus a little extra for the berries (optional)
150g fresh or frozen mixed berry fruits

4 glasses or dessert dishes

Baking tray lined with baking parchment 

Method:

Toast the oatmeal in a dry non-stick frying pan until brown, shaking the pan regularly to ensure the oatmeal toasts evenly and does not burn.

Whilst the oatmeal is toasting, put the sugar in a small heavy based pan and melt slowly over a low heat., stirring occasionally - watch it closely to ensure that it doesn't burn. As soon as the sugar has melted, add half of the toasted oatmeal into it and stir it in. 

Working quickly, pour the oatmeal & sugar mixture over the prepared baking tray and leave to set at room temperature. Once set, put the brittle into an airtight bag (to keep it away from moisture) until required.

Melt the white chocolate in a bowl sitting over a pan of barely simmering water.

While the chocolate is melting, put the cream in a pan and bring to the boil, take it off the heat and let cool slightly and pour into the warm chocolate. Stir until blended.

Once the chocolate and cream has blended, take the bowl off the heat, add the drambuie and remaining toasted oatmeal and stir in.

Leave the white chocolate ganache to cool and then put in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes.

If using frozen fruit, take them out of the freezer to de-frost whilst the ganache is cooling. If you are using fresh fruits, reserve a few pieces of fruit for decoration and if you like, lightly mash the rest with a fork. You can add a little drambuie to the mashed fruit, if liked. I dont add any sugar to the fruit as I love the contrast of the tart fruit with the sweet cream white chocolate cream, but do add a little sugar to yours if liked.).

Remove the white chocolate ganache from the fridge. It may be still quite runny, so beat it with a handheld electric whisk for 2-3 minutes until light, airy and mousse-like but dont overwhisk it!

To assemble the desserts, divide the (mashed) berries between the serving glasses, then top up with generous spoonfuls of the white chocolate ganachehe fruits with the ganache. Top each with the reserved fresh berries & a piece of the oatmeal brittle. Serve immediately..


By the way, if you are a real Drambuie fan, you can also put a wee dram into the bottom of each glass before adding the fruits and ganache. Be aware that this will make it a very much more alcoholic dessert!

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