Cranachan Trifle

 I think I may have a problem.  I love watching Great British Bake Off, and was watching the GBBO New Year's show when they had a bunch of Scots on, and they referenced Cranachan.     So, since January is National Oatmeal Month, and Wendy of A Day In The Life On The Farm said to make something that has Oatmeal in it, either savory or sweet, for Sunday Funday, this is what I made.   The Scots on the GBBO referenced Cranachan a few times; in fact, they did showstoppers based on Cranachans.   I looked it up, and this is my version.  I've made it a couple of times now, because I could.  And who doesn't like fresh fruit with whipped cream? 

I did get a touch carried away, though.    I decided not to use toasted oats, but instead crumbled up some of my Kitchen Sink Cookies - they are an oatmeal-based cookie, and used them in the Cranachan.    I did toast them a little, though.   And did I mention that they're gluten-free as well?  I use either almond flour or gluten-free flour in my cookies.  

 I also SCORED some fresh raspberries at Aldi, so I combined them with some of my Kitchen Sink Cookies, which I'd crumbled up and toasted a little in my toaster oven.  I didn't have any true Scotch whisky on hand, so I used some of my Crown Royal Whiskey.    And honestly, I do not think it mattered what kind of whiskey, just use your favorite, and if you have a true Scotch whisky, use that.   You may have noticed that I referenced Scotch whisky without an e, cause that's the way it's spelled.  A true Scotch whisky will not have an e in it, whereas other whiskeys do have an e.  

According to my research, Cranachan is usually served at festive occasions and on Hogmanay, AKA New Year's Eve, it's also made when the first raspberries ripen in June.  And yet here it was, December, and I found fresh raspberries in the store.   The joys of modern living, being able to access out-of-season fruits. And I took advantage of it.  I gotta say, they were not as flavourful as those I've picked fresh from the cane, but it's still amazing to me to be able to not only access, but use fruit that is out of season here. 

I made the first Cranachan a few days earlier and the second one just in time for New Year's Eve, or Hogmanay as the Scots put it.  Hogmanay actually lasts from New Year's Eve, all the way to the second of the month.  I think they do a right good job of celebrating.    

Funny thing: while I consider myself completely Danish, I took one of those DNA tests a few years ago, and it said I was 4% Scot.   I'm going to claim that 4% now, cause I can.  

I had these pretty little glass dessert jars and used them to good effect. 

One of the hints I got was to pour a little Crown Royal over the fresh raspberries and let them marinate for a few, so I did...

And then tasted one, and decided that the raw taste of the Crown overpowered the raspberries.  So I put them into a small sieve and drained them, and added a touch of honey to the drained raspberries.  

I whipped the cream, folded in some of the toasted Kitchen Sink cookies (oatmeal-based), and started layering without taking any pictures of the process.   

I started with some raspberries, then folded in the whipped cream with the oatmeal, added a layer of the toasted oatmeal cookies, some more raspberries, and the plain-ish whipped cream, finishing it off with more raspberries and whipped cream.    I then placed the entire concoction in the fridge for a couple of hours and ate it as my dinner.   And discovered that this glassful could easily have served two or even three people for a dessert.   

I also had a small trifle dish I'd bought at a dollar store, so I decided to make my second Cranachan in it.  And actually remembered to take pictures of the process. 

And then added the whipped cream, which had some of the toasted Kitchen Sink Cookies on top of the raspberry layer, folded in.  

The next step was to add the rest of the toasted Kitchen Sink Cookies, which I'd crumbled up. 

Finishing it off with more raspberries and more whipped cream.    I did end up with some extra whipped cream, which was frozen in little swirls and will top some hot cocoa later on.  

I got carried away with the decorating, but it was delicious and well worth the calories.  

BTW, the toasted oatmeal cookie crumbs soften in the whipped cream.

  

And since it is National Oatmeal Month, my fellow Sunday Funday Bloggers are also sharing their oatmeal recipes.  Take a look: 

Sizzling Tastebuds: Almond Meal Muffins with Oats and Honey 

Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Cranachan Trifle 

Food Lust People Love: Goetta - Cincinnati Breakfast Sausage 

Palatable Pastime: High-Protein Scottish Porridge Oats 

Karen's Kitchen Stories: Maple Pecan Oatmeal Scones 

Sneha's Recipe: Mini Oat Pancakes With Guacamole Topping 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Mud Cookies 

Mayuri's Jikoni: Oatmeal Banana Quick Bread 

A Messy Kitchen: Oatmeal Honey Date Loaf 

Amy's Cooking Adventures: Orange Cranberry Baked Oatmeal

Cranachan Trifle

Yield: 4-6

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking adapted from many recipes

What's not to love, whipped cream, raspberries, and cookies all together in a dream of a dessert.

Ingredients

Cranachan

• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons scotch whiskey
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• 1 cup crushed and toasted oatmeal cookies

Instructions

Prepare the cream and cookies

1. Crumble and toast the oatmeal cookies, just lightly browned. Divide in half and set aside.
2. Whip cream with the honey and whiskey, divide in half, and set aside.
3. Take half the whipped cream and half of the toasted, crumbled cookie; mix together and set aside. Place the other half of the whipped cream in a piping bag.

Assembly

1. In a small glass dish, put a layer of raspberries.
2. Add the whipped cream that you added half the toasted cookie into, layer it over the top of the raspberries.
3. Sprinkle the reserved cookie crumbs over the whipped cream, which has the cookie crumbs in.
4. Place a layer of raspberries over the cookie crumbs, then pipe the remaining whipped cream, reserving a few raspberries for decoration, if desired.   
5. Place in fridge until ready to serve.  

 

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sidsseapalmcooking on Instagram and hashtag it #Sidsseapalmcooking                                                     

 

I do want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  I hope you had a great one.  And I wish you all the best in 2026.  

Ginger Cookies, Vegan and Gluten-Free

 I wasn't going to participate in this week's Sunday Funday, until... I decided to try this cookie that a friend told me about.  She told me they were delicious, and she was right.  

I've had vegan, gluten-free cookies in the past, and honestly, chewing cardboard would have been tastier.  

These cookies kinda blew my mind, but in a very good way.   I was actually looking for a gluten-free cookie I could make to take to a gathering since one of the guests is celiac, and well, these not only fit the bill, but they all got eaten as well.    

And not only did they taste amazing, but they also came together fast and baked quickly.     Chewy, sweet and delicious.  Not to mention easy. 

This is my offering for Sunday Funday.  Ginger Cookies, Gluten-free and Vegan.  Camilla of Culinary Cam is our hostess this week, and asked us What's on Your Holiday Cookie Platter?  

And I wasn't going to participate, but then I got an email from a friend telling me about this cookie and I had to try it.  I googled several version for a recipe,  but settled on this one, and then played a little with it.   I even doubled the recipe with zero issues.     I added some finely minced candied ginger to the basic recipe and added a touch more allspice.   The original recipe called for coconut fat, but I didn't have any on hand and didn't want to go and buy a large jar, just for a single use.  

Can I just say this cookie is going in my regular rotation of cookies I make, along with my all time fav, my Kitchen Sink Cookies.  

Let me whet your appetite a little.   This is the mixture in the bowl, well what remains after I'd scooped some of it out to bake.   I used my smallest cookie scoop to make equal sized cookies. 

After I'd dipped each ball into sugar and placed them on the pan.  I then pressed each ball down a little before baking them. 

I loved how crackly they looked as they came out of the oven.   '

 

I did sample a few.  They were chewy, dense and totally delicious. 

I'll be adding them to my Christmas Cookie plates this year as well.    Check out what my fellow Sunday Funday bloggers are baking this week.

• A Panoply of Pistachio Cookies by Culinary Cam
• Bakery-Style Holiday Sprinkle Cookies byKaren's Kitchen Stories
• Citrusy Ginger Shortbread Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Egg Free Peanut Butter M&M Cookies by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Eggless Piped Chocolate Cookie by Sneha's Recipe
• Fruitcake Cookies by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Gingerbread Cookie Bars by Food Lust People Love
• Vegan Ginger Cookies by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

  

Vegan Gluten-Free Ginger Cookie

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking adapted from many recipes

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 27 Min

Fabulous, chewy ginger cookies. You'd never believe it was vegan.

Ingredients

Cookie

• 1 cup almond flour
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 cup finely minced candied ginger dusted with one tablespoon cornstarch or gluten-free flour
• 4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Molasses
• 1/3 cup raw sugar or cane sugar crystals for dipping the cookie balls into.

Instructions

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
2. When mincing/dicing the candied ginger, sprinkle it with a tablespoon of gluten-free flour or cornstarch to prevent it from sticking to the knife and itself.
3. After mixing the dough, form into small balls, using a small cookie scoop, then dip them into the raw sugar and coat them, place them onto a parchment paper, and press them down lightly.
4. Bake in a 330-degree oven for about 10-12 minutes. Take out and let cool before taking them off the parchment paper, they are very soft, but will firm up.
5. Enjoy with a cup of coffee.

Estimate only

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sidsseapalmcooking on instagram and hashtag it #Sidsseapalmcooking

Gluten Free Frangipane and Pear Tarts

Did you know it's National Pear Month?  Neither did I. But luckily, other people pay attention, and Wendy of A Day in The Life On The Farm, presented us with a bit of a challenge.  Her challenge: it's National Pear Month... let's show some love to this often-overlooked cousin of the apple.

Personally, I'm not fond of pears with a couple of exceptions.   My brother gave me some pears this past summer that were so good, but then they got ripe, and I had to make something out of them,  and ended up making this, which also happened to be part of a Sunday Funday Challenge.   I don't have any more of the Black Cherry Balsamic Vinegar; I used it all up.   But I remembered a Frangipane and Almond Pear Tart I made several years ago and decided to reimagine it, making it gluten-free.   Since I had some gluten-free flour on hand, I decided to use it and made some adjustments to the recipe since I only wanted to make a couple of small tarts.   But I was lazy and made the entire crust recipe, then froze the remainder for future tarts.  And I'm glad I did.  I've got a thing to go to the following week, and one of the people coming has severe gluten issues, so there will be something there for her as well.    I'm also making some Kransekage Stykker, cause I can, and making the almond paste from scratch for that, so I will also have an immediate use for the leftover egg whites.    If I have either whites or yolks left over from a recipe that only uses one, I'll freeze the other.  As an example, I love making 7-minute frosting, but I only use egg whites for that, so I'll freeze the egg yolks to be used later on.    I'll throw an extra one or two egg yolks into any cakes I'm making.  It doesn't disturb the ratios at all and, in fact, makes the cake just a tad richer tasting.  

Now that I've gotten that off my chest.  

I made some gluten-free Frangipane and Pear Tarts for Sunday Funday to celebrate National Pear Month.  Personally, I think it should be in September, but whatever. 

  

Here are a few pictures I took of the process. The dough, just after it came out of the food processor.

Rolled out and into the tart pans.

The dough is not very elastic, and does not stretch, and it tears a bit, but is very 'patchable'.

After laying out the pear pieces and pouring the filling over the top.

After baking...

The second baked tart, cut

I had to taste.

The only thing I think I'd do differently would be to add more pear pieces to the tarts, but other than that.  I really liked them.  Best of all, I have enough rolled-out tart dough and filling in the freezer to make a few more.     And if you're curious about what great recipes and ideas my fellow bloggers made, take a look. 

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Arugula and Pear Salad 
• Culinary Cam: Brûléed Posset-Filled Pears 
• Palatable Pastime: Cranberry Pear Mostarda 
• Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Gluten-free Frangipane Pear Tarts 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Pear and Cherry Sourdough Bread 
• Food Lust People Love: Pear Crisps 
• Sneha's Recipe: Protein Packed Winter Veggies & Fruit Salad 
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Roasted Pear & Beet Salad 
• Mayuri's Jikoni: Roasted Pear Crostini 
• Our Good Life: Sparkling Pear Salad Dressing 

Gluten Free Frangipane and Pear Tart

Yield: 2-6

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking, adapted from many recipes

For all the gluten-free people. This tart could be totally enjoyed by anyone, gluten-free or not. The dough is a touch tricky to roll out, but the flavour is amazing.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour
• 2 egg yolks- stirred together
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 9 tablespoons cold butter, cut up

Filling

• 4 oz. almond paste, broken up slightly into smaller pieces
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 oz. room temperature butter
• 1/4 cup gluten-free flour
• 1-2 pears, peeled and cut up.

Instructions

Crust

1. Add the gluten-free flour and sugar to a food processor, then add the cold, cut butter and process until the butter has blended into the flour.
2. Add the egg yolks and cider vinegar and process until it starts to ball up. Remove from the food processor and bring it together into a ball. Then cut it into 6 or 7 equal pieces ( a scale works great here) if making individual tarts. Flatten slightly and place into the fridge for a few minutes to firm up the butter, wrapping tightly. If making one large tart, flatten the dough slightly, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up the butter.
3. Take out either a large tart pan with a removable bottom or individual tart pans and set them aside.
4. I like to roll out the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper, sprinkling the paper with a little gluten-free flour if needed to prevent the dough from sticking too much. Keeping in mind that this is a very sticky dough and has no gluten, it will also act differently.

Filling

1. Add all the ingredients apart from the pears into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Lay the peeled and cut pears into a prepared tart shell, and pour the processed almond filling over the pears, being careful to not overfill.
3. Bake for 20 minutes if doing individual tarts, or 30 minutes if making a large tart, until golden.
4. Remove from tart pans when cool.

 

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sidsseapalmcooking on Instagram and hashtag it #Sidsseapalmcooking

Layered Carrot Mousse

Camila of Culinary Cam is our hostess this week, and she told us that November 30th is National Mousse Day, and added this:

November 30th is National Mousse Day! Share your favorite mousse. Think banana mousse or chocolate mousse.

Well, not me, I had to think outside the box, way outside the box. 😉

I don't know about you, but I find it intriguing that there are things like National Mousse Day. And at first, I wasn't going to participate, mainly because the only mousse I make is Citron Fromage, a Danish dish that my mom made every year for Christmas Eve. In fact, I'm going to be making it soon for myself, and I might even share it. And since it's a Sunday Funday, I put on my thinking cap, ok, so I brushed my hair while thinking of a mousse I could make.

I knew I could make a chocolate mousse, but I wanted something different. Also, since it's not just Thanksgiving this week but also Black Friday, and I do not go anywhere on Black Friday, I thought I'd try my hand at a carrot mousse. I have lots of carrots in the fridge, along with some ripe avocados. I got my inspiration from La Cucina Italiana, but I modified it a bit, mainly because, as I said, I'm not doing any kind of shopping on Black Friday. And ummm, the picture on there might be AI. Mine isn't.

I also discovered the joy of steaming a vegetable, and I think I'll be doing that a lot in the future. I had a steamer basket that came with a set of pots and pans, but I had never used it until today. Can anyone say "GAME CHANGER"? The carrots came out perfectly cooked, and I don't think I'll be cooking them any other way in the future, well, apart from roasting them.

To start, peel your carrots and steam them until tender. Then puree them, however you like. I used my little Cuisinart blender attachment. Process them until light and fluffy, adding a couple of tablespoons of cream to them, as well as some finely grated ginger (I used my Microplane). I added just under a half teaspoon. And tasted it and added more, mainly cause I love ginger and it dances so nicely with carrots.

After I processed the carrots, I got the avocado out of the fridge and found it had decided it was RIPE and needed to have been used a couple of hours earlier. I used it anyway. I smooshed it with a fork and added a little lemon juice. And layered some of the carrot mousse in a small bowl, then added a layer of avocado, then more carrot mousse on top.

The original recipe called for rye crumbs and black sesame seeds on top, along with some fresh sprouts.

I didn't have any good rye bread, so I used some Gardetto's Rye chips and topped them with some sprouts.

The next time I make this, I'll pipe it into the bowl instead of using a spoon to layer it. I think it would make a much nicer presentation.

Serve this with some good, hearty crackers or some crostini. I ate it at room temperature, but I think it might also taste good if it's been chilled for a little while. The combo of carrot and avocado is actually pretty good, at least my taste buds liked it, and I tend to trust them when it comes to taste.

Layered Carrot Mousse

Yield: 2-4

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking adapted from many recipes

This is a surprising taste combo, and would be great served to any vegetarians you know, along with certified meat eaters. Easy to put together and even easier to eat.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and steamed til tender
• 2-4 tablespoons fresh heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly microplaned ginger
• 2 avocados blended with the juice of a lemon and a pinch of salt (just the meat)
• Gardetto's Rye Chips ( a good handful)
• Fresh sprouts to taste

Instructions

1. Get your serving dishes ready. Small, clear bowls work well here.
2. Process the steamed carrots and heavy cream with an immersion blender, and add in the microplaned ginger to taste. Set aside while you process the avocados.
3. Peel the avocados, removing the seed, and mash the meat with some lemon juice and a touch of salt.
4. Layer the Carrot mousse in a small clear bowl, then add the mashed avocados.
5. Top with more Carrot Mousse and as a finishing touch, add the Gardetto's and top with a small handful, or pinch of sprouts. Serve

 

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sidsseapalmcooking on Instagram and hashtag it #Sidsseapalmcooking

Check out some of the fun Mousses my fellow Sunday Funday people made.

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Cranberry Mousse 
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Dark Chocolate Mousse 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Easy Gingersnap Cookie Mousse 
• Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Layered Carrot Mousse 
• Sneha's Recipe: Masala Chai Mousse Bundt 
• Culinary Cam: Olallie Chocolate Mousse 
•  Mayuri’s Jikoni: Pomegranate Mousse

Stuffed Pork Loin Roast- Roulade

 I've made so many stuffed pork tenderloins over the years.  And here I go, sharing another version.    I was actually going to make another one for this challenge, but couldn't find one that wasn't pre-seasoned already, so I bought a small pork loin roast and then turned it into a Roulade. 

The challenge this week for Sunday Funday was for a "Small gathering holiday main course."  Holiday recipes for one, two, or three, or even four, but not a crowd! Not everyone has a big family or friend group to share a holiday meal with, so I'd like us to highlight some recipes for a more intimate meal that is still special.   Our hostess this week is Stacy Livingston Rushton of Food Lust People Love

Challenge accepted, especially when I can feature my favorite protein, pork. 
  

As I said, I was all set to make a stuffed pork tenderloin, but could not find one that wasn't already pre-seasoned.  So I picked up a small pork loin roast and cut it into a roulade. 

Honestly, a pork loin roast is the perfect size for a small gathering —well, for a couple of people, anyway.  This should serve up to 4 people.    As I said, I've made several versions of stuffed tenderloins over the years.   I've stuffed them with apples, cranberries, and stuffing, and even with a bunch of herbs.  And they were all good.    

I was all ready to do another tenderloin for this challenge, but I couldn't find one, so I got a small pork loin. 

And gosh, was it good. 

I decided to stuff the pork loin after cutting it into a roulade, with my wild rice stuffing.  This is kind of an all-in-one meal.   The stuffing is the carb; the pork is the protein; and I made glazed carrots as the veggie side.     Honestly, they all go so well together. It all looks festive, and they taste amazing together.  I ended up with lots of stuffing after preparing the roast, so I served it alongside.  

I butterflied the loin, or rather, OK, so it was a roulade.  Here are a bunch of pictures of the process.  What is a roulade, you ask?  Well, let me try to explain.   Basically, it's a version of butterflying a cut of meat.  You want the meat to be approximately the same thickness throughout.  I detail how to do it here, with better pictures.    You cut into it about a third of the way through, cut almost to the end (side), then take the middle portion and cut it almost through again.   Here are the pictures of how I did it.  

After all the cuts, I flattened it out a bit. 

I then proceeded to load up the pork roast with the cooled stuffing, and then rolled it up as I was stuffing it. 

After it's stuffed, roll it up jelly-roll style and secure it with a couple of toothpicks or wrap it with some butcher twine.  I didn't have any twine handy, so I used a couple of toothpicks to secure it. 

The next step is browning the roast.  And there are two separate roasts here, mainly because I neglected to take pictures of the process during the first roast, so I had to redo it, and umm, I now have lots of meals in my freezer, ready to take out, heat, and eat.  And since I happen to love Pork, this is not a hardship for me at all. 

The first one I made, along with the end bit I cut off to make the roast a little more even. 

 After I took it out of the oven, I let it rest for a few minutes.  I cut into it, and I don't know if you can see how moist the meat was.  But it was, and so tender, not to mention very flavourful.  

 You may have noticed, I didn't say anything about seasoning.  I try to cook salt-free as much as possible, and honestly, the stuffing seasoned the roast nicely, so I didn't feel it needed anything extra. 

I cooked up the wild rice mix, set it aside to cool, while I got the rest of the stuffing together.    I didn't add any craisins to this mix, but I did use some canned mushrooms because the ones I had in the fridge had passed their use-by date.   And I did add some of my own homemade stock to it as well. 

  

Once it was all cooled and ready to go, I stuffed the loin roast and used toothpicks to close it.  I would have tied it, but I didn't have any string. 

It kinda looks like a meat jelly roll at this point.  

I then browned it in a cast-iron pan before putting it into a 425-degree oven to finish cooking. It didn't take long. Just 45 minutes, and while it was in the oven cooking, I prepared the carrots.    I also checked the roast's temperature when I pulled it out of the oven, and it was about 165 degrees.  I always temperature check my meat.  I know that you can eat the meat at 145 degrees, but I'm old school and prefer it cooked to a higher temperature, in this case 165 degrees. 

Once I took the roast out of the oven, I put it on a plate to rest, deglazed the pan with some water, and made a gravy.  You just can't waste all that goodness in the pan.  If I'd thought of it, I would probably have deglazed it with some chicken stock, but it still tasted amazing. 

I cooked the carrots to fork-tender, melted a tablespoon of butter in a pan, added another tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 cup of water, stirred until the sugar dissolved, then added the cooked carrots.   

My finished plate, which looks a touch monochromatic, but it sure tasted good.  Best of all, I've now got several meals in the freezer for the future. 

 Take a look at some of the other meals my fellow Sunday Funday bloggers made:

• Bacon-Wrapped Sirloin Tip Roast from Palatable Pastime
• Confit Turkey Thighs from Food Lust People Love
• Dry Brined Roast Turkey Breast from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Milk-Braised Pork Loin with Carrot Sauce from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Nawabi Mutton Biryani with Burani Boondi Raita from Sneha's Recipe
• Roasted Lemon, Herb & Lavender Spatchcocked Chicken from Culinary Cam
• Stuffed Pork Loin Roast from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Stuffed Turkey Breast with Gravy from Karen's Kitchen Stories