Servings: 12 Pancakes
Calories: 175kcal
Ingredients
For the blueberry compote
- 250 g blueberries fresh or frozen
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 –2 tbsp water only if needed
For the lemon ricotta pancakes
- 40 g caster sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 250 g whole-milk ricotta
- 3 large eggs separated
- 180 ml buttermilk
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- Butter or neutral oil for cooking
To serve
- Extra ricotta Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche
- Icing sugar
- Extra lemon zest
- Maple syrup or honey
Instructions
Make the blueberry compote
- Add the blueberries, caster sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest to a small saucepan.
- Cook over a medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring now and then, until some of the berries burst and the sauce turns glossy.
- If the compote thickens too much, add 1–2 tbsp water to loosen it. Set aside while you make the pancakes.
Rub the lemon zest into the sugar
- Add the caster sugar and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl.
- Rub them together with your fingertips until the sugar feels slightly damp and smells bright and lemony.
Mix the ricotta batter
- Add the ricotta, egg yolks, buttermilk, lemon juice and vanilla extract to the lemon sugar.
- Whisk gently until combined. The mixture does not need to be completely smooth; a little ricotta texture is fine.
Add the dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and fine sea salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture and stir gently until just combined. The batter should be thick, soft and slightly lumpy.
Whip the egg whites
- In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.
- Add one spoonful of whipped egg white to the pancake batter and gently stir to loosen it slightly.
Fold gently
- Fold in the remaining whipped egg whites using a rubber spatula.
- Move gently and slowly, keeping as much air in the batter as possible. A few white streaks are fine.
Cook the pancakes
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat and add a little butter or neutral oil.
- Spoon in the batter, using around 2 heaped tablespoons per pancake.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the edges look set and small bubbles appear on the surface.
- Flip carefully and cook for another 2 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a little more butter or oil to the pan as needed.
Serve
- Stack the pancakes onto plates and spoon over the blueberry compote.
- Finish with extra ricotta, Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche, icing sugar, lemon zest and a small drizzle of maple syrup or honey, if using.
Notes
- Use whole-milk ricotta, not skimmed. If it looks watery, drain it briefly before using.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest are essential here. Bottled lemon juice will not give the same bright, clean flavour.
- Do not skip separating the eggs. The whipped egg whites are what give these pancakes their cloud-soft lift.
- Cook them gently over medium-low heat. These pancakes are thicker than standard pancakes, so they need time to cook through without burning on the outside.
- The batter should be thick and softly lumpy, not thin and pourable. If it looks a little rustic, you are probably doing it right.
- The blueberry compote can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm it gently before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 175kcal
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