Oh what a decision, what recipe to tempt you with from my new book. I fairly hummed and hawed (Scottish term!) about what to pick. Finally I threw the debate open to the audience/friend/cohost/partner/best mate/daughter, well okay I asked Idgy. She chose Crulla because it is so very naughty and nice.
This is definitely one for those with a sweet tooth. These sugary plaits are mainly associated with Aberdeen and thought to derive from the doughnuts brought into Scotland by the Dutch fishing fleets. They are a bit like the Churros that you get in Spain and Mexico which is why I decided that a choccy dip would go so very well with them. Kids love these, but for an adult treat I like to serve them with my whisky and chocolate dip, yummy! 
The whisky chocolate dipping sauce is just scrummy. Remember to omit the whisky if you’re doing this for the kids though! I make a pan of this and scoop out a bowl for Idgy first and then add the booze the rest of the pan for the grown ups.
Here’s to my Aberdeen Crulla and Chocolate Whisky Dipping Sauce, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy and don’t even think about calories gals!
Karon x
Recipe taken from my new book Simply Scottish Cakes & Bakes available to preorder on Amazon and due out on 25th October.
- 50g/2oz butter
- 50g/2oz caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 225g/8oz self raising flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1tablespoon buttermilk or Greek yogurt
- Oil for frying
- Icing sugar to dust
- WHISKY AND CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE
- 200g/7oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
- 90g/3oz milk chocolate
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 250ml/8fl oz double cream
- 1 tablespoon whisky
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the egg and add a little at a time.
- Sift the flour, salt and ginger into the mixture and combine. Add the buttermilk or Greek yogurt to make a fairly stiff dough.
- Pull the dough into pieces and roll into long thing strings about the size and length of a pencil.
- Take 3 of these pieces and pinch together the top and then plait/braid the 3 strands together. Pinch the end together to stop it unravelling. Do this with all the dough. This is a great job for children to help with.
- Heat the oil (use something unflavoured like vegetable oil for this) in a deep pan and carefully drop in the crulla 2 at a time. Fry for 2-3 minutes each side till golden.
- Remove with slotted spoon and dry on kitchen paper. Dust with a little icing sugar to serve.
- DIPPING SAUCE
- Warm everything (apart from the whisky) in microwave or in a small pot on the stove, until it is all melted and mixed together, stir in the whisky.
- Serve in a small side dish and just tear off pieces of Crulla and dip them into that sweet goodness, yum oh yum!
Karon, givvus a wee clue as to how many crulla’s you get from the recipe above. Thanks.
By the way, I made cake in a mug with the wee lad. And we enjoyed the anticipation so much! The cake was zapped for 3 mins in an 800w microwave, but needed to be zapped for another 30 seconds, or so. Tasted great and such good fun.
Much appreciated
DQ
Hi Donna
Glad you are having fun with my recipes. To be honest I can’t remember how many crullas I got from this recipe, I did it a couple of years ago now.
All best
Kx
I tried this recipe and used my deep fryer, but when I put the braids in the hot oil, they fell apart. I had to throw the whole thing out as the dough didn’t look cooked through. Not sure what happened there. 🙁
This looks so amazing!! Definitely need to make these!
Hi Eden,
A traditional Scottish recipe but very like Spanich churros, just ignore the calories!
K x
I happened to see this today on Pinterest. My third great grandparents Hugh and Ann Bruce came from Aberdeen, Scotland but I don’t know much about them except they owned a stone quarry in the town where I was raised and they property where I lived was called Bruce Highlands. Thank for a traditional heritage recipe that I can share with family.
Thanks for getting in touch, glad you like the recipe and hope it goes down well witth your family.
K x