Scottish Food Guide - The Dessert
Dear Diary,
No denying that I have a proper sweet tooth!
So, I think any meal needs something sweet to finish off. Personal opinion …
If you prefer cheese, no worries. No man/woman is left behind here.
Just skip the pud part and dig straight into Scottish cheese delicacies.
The Pud
Cranachan (Kran-e-ken)
My personal favourite when it comes to Scottish puds. Again, very simple but very hard to resist!
Cranachan is a marriage of fresh sweet Scottish raspberries, toasted oats, finest heather honey, some whisky and whipped cream. It has some similarities to a trifle or Eton Mess, where the ingredients are layered as well.
Again there are different variations to the traditional Cranachan. For those looking for a lighter dessert, just substitute parts of the whipped cream with Skyr or Greek Yoghurt.
Oh and you have to try a Cranachan cheesecake version, scrumptious!
Scottish Tablet
A Scottish Tablet. What could that be? Definitely nothing to do with tech …
It is our own version of fudge. But more crumbly, grainy and brittly. Medium-hard in texture. Not as soft as classic fudge but not as hard as a caramel candy.
A tablet won’t stick to your teeth or worse break them. Instead, it melts in your mouth. Traditionally caramel-flavoured but you can give it any flavour you want. You name it.
Be aware though, it’s highly addictive.
The Cheese
Scottish Cheese. Where to start? There are plenty of delicious cheese products from Scotland. The Scottish climate and landscape are ideal for cheese making. You’ll hardly find a hill without any cows or sheep grazing on them.
From hard, strong cheese, to blue or soft brie style. From cow to goat. From plain to flavoured with finest herbs and of course whisky. We’ve got you covered.
My top 3 cheese selection choices:
Crumbly cheddar with Arran Whisky from Isle of Arran Cheese
The Strathearn from Strathearn Cheese - semi-soft and washed in Glenturret Single Malt Whisky
Aisla Craig from Dunlop Dairy - melt-in-the-mouth, soft goats cheese
Oatcakes
Forget about the usual crackers you’d have with your cheeseboard. We’ve got something much better for you.
The name might be a bit irritating here. No, it’s not a cake. I’d call it a crumbly biscuit featuring one main ingredient - the humble oat.
Nowadays oatcakes come in all sorts of flavour combinations and are also a very versatile baking ingredient. Must try!
So, do you still think Scottish cuisine has nothing to offer but Haggis?
Well, this wee Scottish food journey was only the beginning, call it a little sneak peek into our food culture.
Oh, but hang on. We haven’t talked about drinks yet. And no, it’s not all about whisky.