Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

I made pancakes count-able times from the box mixes, and this is probably the first time I am making them from scratch. Pancakes are one of those breakfast/brunch items that I don't normally order unless the place is well known for them, e.g, BLD's blueberry ricotta pancakes. I am never super drawn to them due to how simple they are to whip up (my experience has been with box mixes up to this point). Turns out they are as simple as I imagined even from scratch - few ingredients and only a couple steps!

These were so quick to put together and turned out oh so wonderfully fluffy and light! And being unsweetened pancakes, these went super well with a drizzle of maple syrup and the blueberry sauce I threw together on a whim.

Great use of any left over ricotta, perfect for a weekend brunch, and versatile for any add ins to change up the flavor! This recipe is a keeper.

Ricotta Pancakes
recipe adapted from Nigella
makes about 16 pancakes

250g ricotta cheese
125ml  milk
2 large eggs, separated
100g all purpose flour
1tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
coconut oil for frying

1. In a bowl, combine ricotta, milk and egg yolks and mix well.

2. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt and gently whisk to make a smooth batter. 

3. Beat egg whites until foamy. Fold into ricotta mixture.

4. Heat oil in large frying pan and drop in heaped dessertspoons of batter.

5. Cook pancakes for about 1 minute on each side until golden.

6. Keep cooked pancakes warm, by tenting with foil on a large warmed plate, while you work your way through the batter.

Blueberry Sauce

1cup frozen not thawed blueberries
1/4cup honey, to taste
freshly grated lime zest from 1 lime
1tbsp lime juice

1. Stir blueberries, honey, lime zest and juice in a medium saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil. 

3. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. 

4. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

I think I should set a goal to tackle a brunch item every weekend month! 

October - ricotta pancakes. Check.

Taste: 4 stars out of 5

A bit of sugar in the batter would make them great to eat alone. 

Texture: 4 stars out of 5

Light and fluffy. These pancakes are a dream. 

Ricotta pancakes for Saturday.
Acai bowl for Sunday.

Almond Ricotta Tart

A lightly sweetened, orange scented ricotta tart topped with sliced almonds.

I wouldn't call this a lighter version of cheesecake at all because there's no resemblance. It's not dense, rich, and indulgent like a NY cheesecake, and it's not light and airy like a Japanese cheesecake. With its crumbly and soft texture, mild cheese flavor, and bright citrus note, it stands as its own thing!

Almond Ricotta Tart

recipe adapted from Food Wishes

recipe makes 1 9" tart

For the crust
See previous post

For the filling
1.5 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolks
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp maple syrup

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

freshly grated orange zest from 1 orange
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Bake for 45 minutes at 350F, or until just set (160 internal temp).

post bake

Adding the almonds were a good touch. It provided a nice textural contrast to the soft ricotta filling and also hid some of the imperfections of the tart. I wanted the almonds to toast darker and actually turned up the temp to 400F towards the end of the bake time for 5 minutes. The almonds didn't seem to be affected, but the tart resulted in a few cracks. Nbd. Almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar came to the rescue.

The steps to making the filling is ridiculously easy and can be done in one bowl in no time. Blind bake the crust, whisk together the filling, pour filling on crust, and bake. I chilled this tart overnight, so I can't comment on how it's like served warm/fresh out of oven.

The sweetness is subtle, but it's just right for my liking. The orange zest gave the tart a prominent but not overwhelming citrus flavor. It helps cut into the richness of the ricotta and lighten the tart overall.

Taste: 3 stars out of 5
Bright orange note and light cheese flavor.
Texture: 2 stars out of 5
Crust wasn't as flaky and crisp. Texture of filling was crumbly and not favored.