meyer lemon ricotta pancakes

meyer lemon ricotta pancakes with blackberry sauce,
powdered sugar and a squeeze of meyer lemon!

Ingredients

5 T unsalted butter

1 c whole milk

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon fine salt

3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated

2 T evaporated cane juice sugar

1 T packed finely grated meyer lemon zest (about 2 to 3 medium lemons)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 c whole-milk ricotta cheese

Optional: butter, powdered sugar, fruit, or maple syrup, for serving

Directions

Place butter and milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until butter has melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Set aside.

Place egg yolks, 1 T of the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk together. Whisk in a quarter of the milk-butter mixture (this will temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling), then whisk in the remaining milk-butter mixture until smooth.

Add the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Set aside.

In a clean medium sized bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks. You can also use an electric mixer. Halfway through whisking them, sprinkle in the remaining 1 T sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using the spatula, fold in the egg whites into the reserved batter until just combined.

Gently fold the ricotta into the batter, being careful not to break down the texture of the cheese. The batter should be lumpy and streaked with ricotta. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick frying pan, griddle, or seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot.

Lightly coat the pan’s surface with butter or a 1 T of oil. Use a 1/4-cup measure to scoop the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes, about 4-5 mins. Flip and cook the other side until the bottoms are golden brown, about 1-2 mins. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately with butter, powdered sugar, fruit, or maple syrup.

BLACKBERRY COMPOTE

Ingredients

1 c blackberry

½ c  evaporated cane juice (organic sugar)

1 T cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 c water

Directions

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine blackberries, lemon juice and water on medium-low heat. Gradually add sugar and cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, so that it is not lumpy. Pour over pancakes and sprinkle with powdered sugar.