Dive into a big fat stack of pancakes this Sunday! Especially these pancakes. Delightfully lemony, unbelievably fluffy, and topped with a homemade blueberry lavender compote, these are a perfect spring weekend breakfast.
Ummmm so… pancakes!!!
Not like my usual content, but sometimes Sundays just call for pancakes am I right? And when you don’t want regular old buttermilk pancakes, spice it up with lemon ricotta!
I do realize that I just posted a lemon and lavender recipe. (Not to be pushy or anything but you should check it out 🙂 ) But I really love the combo, especially this time of year. And this recipe has a bit of a backstory. I woke up on a Sunday morning a few months ago and saw that we had a bunch of lemons, some fresh blueberries, and a LOT of ricotta cheese. So I whipped up some ricotta pancakes and blueberry sauce ( and yes, I added lavender because I am obsessed and couldn’t help myself). Ever since I made these, I haven’t forgotten about them. They’ve been in the back of my head for months, so today I present the recipe.
Describe these Pancakes to me
Taste: The pancakes are buttery and lemony, with a touch of sweetness. These are naturally sweetened with maple syrup, and flavored with lemon zest and juice. I recommend spreading some salty butter on these pancakes warm to serve as a contrast to the sweet and slightly tart compote. All the flavors work so well together it’s hard to resist diving into a giant stack of these.
Texture: These are the fluffiest pancakes ever. Seriously. And you can thank the ricotta for that. Also a whole Tablespoon of baking powder. These get so tall and fluffy, it’s kinda crazy. The blueberry compote is thick and saucy, complimenting the fluffy pancake perfectly.
Ease: These pancakes are a little extra effort for breakfast, but well worth it. The compote only takes about 10 minutes to whip up, and you can make it ahead of time. The batter only takes about 5 to 10 minutes to make, but it takes a little while to cook all of the pancakes. In order to make sure the inside is cooked and the outside is golden brown, each pancake will cook on low heat for a longer period of time.
Why Add Ricotta?
There are honestly so many reasons. Number one: ricotta is KEY to achieving the tallest, fluffiest pancakes. Number two: it pairs magically well with lemon. The creaminess of the ricotta was made for the tartness of the lemon. Number three: it adds protein. Adding ricotta to pancakes makes them a little healthier, and a better start to your day.
The Blueberry Lavender Compote
I wouldn’t have posted this recipe if it weren’t for this compote. I mean sure, a lemon ricotta pancake is great and all but it isn’t anything special. But when you add a homemade fruity and floral sauce on top, now we’re talking! And it’s so easy too. Just cook some blueberries with sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and dried lavender. Then once it gets thick and saucy, add some vanilla and salt. The other great thing about this sauce it that it’s great in the pancakes when it’s warm, and when it’s cold so you could make it ahead of time if you want.
Troubleshooting Pancake Cooking
Pancakes are a pretty simple thing to make, but the cooking process can be a little tricky. I cannot tell you how many times I have whipped up some truly excellent pancake batter, only to have it become a sticky mess on the pan. So, here are some ideas to get you a perfectly cooked pancake.
Grease your pan: Ok I know this one is a given but this has been my most common mistake. You’ve got to grease the pan very thoroughly, and I recommend using vegetable oil because I have found it to be the least sticky.
Make sure the pan is hot: Before you pour the batter onto the pan make sure it’s hot. If the pan is just warm, then the pancakes will cook unevenly and take a really long time. To test if it’s hot, add a little test dot of batter to the pan. If it sizzles a little, then you can go ahead with the pancakes.
Don’t let the temperature get too high: On the other side of things, make sure your pan doesn’t get too hot. If this happens, then the outside of the pancake may burn while the inside will still be raw. Yuck!
Start small: I always start with a test pancake. I just cook the one to make sure my pan is well greased, the temperature is right, and the batter is the right consistency. The test pancake is almost always ugly, but that’s ok! It makes for a great snack while you cook the rest of the pancakes 😉. Once I have my technique figured out, I can do three or four pancakes at a time. But make sure to leave enough wiggle room in the pan for flipping.
Speckled Pancake Browning: If your pancakes have speckled tops, too much oil is the culprit. This will cause uneven browning and a more rubbery and greasy texture. The amount of oil will vary depending on your pan size, but you don’t want too much. Make sure you have enough thought or they might stick.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Lavender Compote
Ingredients
Method
- In a small bowl whisk together the water, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, sugar, and lavender. Allow this mixture to come to a simmer. Stir with a wooden spoon, and try and break up the blueberries. After 3-4 minutes, pour in the cornstarch mixture. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. It will thicken up into a sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. It will thicken as it cools.
- You can make the compote ahead of time. It will stay fresh in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, ricotta, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture and whisk until there are no more lumps. Add the lemon zest and juice and whisk until combined.
- Read through these instructions before starting. Stove temperatures vary, so cooking times and temperatures will vary as well. Look at the paragraph on pancake cooking tips if you are having issues.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour a little bit of vegetable oil on it and spread it around with a paper towel. Make sure the pan is hot before adding the batter (I recommend adding a little dot of batter, if it sizzles a little bit, then the pan is hot enough.). Add a ¼ cup scoop of batter to the pan, start with cooking one pancake before you try multiple at once. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Flip carefully and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side.
- Re-oil the pan repeat this cooking process until you have used up the batter. As you get more confident, you can cook multiple at a time.
- Serve these big stacks of pancakes with a good scoop of the blueberry compote. I recommend spreading some salty butter on top as well!