Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

The inspiration for these Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes came from a restaurant in San Francisco...

In 2017, Logan and I took a trip to San Francisco. Our plane landed at 8 a.m., so our first stop was breakfast. We stopped at a farm to table type restaurant in the Dogpatch region, called Plow. They had sidewalk seating; the weather was lovely, so we opted to eat outside.

They take a minimalist approach to breakfast foods, so the menu was short, sweet, and to the point; I like that. Logan and I had "The Plow," which included eggs, your choice of two different types of sausages or bacon, potatoes, and pancakes.

Everything was delicious, but the pancakes were the star of the show: lemony, light, crispy and nutty. The Plow's lemon ricotta pancakes are not served with blueberries; however, blueberry pancakes are my favorite, so I added them here.

This pancake recipe is not a copycat recipe for The Plow's Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. If you live in the SF area, I highly recommend brunching at this restaurant because you won't be disappointed! In the meantime, make these Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes, and serve with maple whip!

You'll love these pancakes because they are...

Fluffy

Lemony

Creamy

Soft

Slightly Sweet

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Prep the dry ingredients...

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients: one cup of all-purpose flour and a fourth of a cup of almond flour, a half teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of baking powder and a half teaspoon of salt. Set aside.

I like using the almond flour because the pancakes more depth of flavor and the nuttiness gives it texture without creating dense pancakes. Just make sure the package says almond flour, not ground almonds; essentially, it is the same thing, but the flour is a finer grind.

Mix your wet ingredients...

Firstly, separate two eggs and set aside the egg whites for later; then, in a large bowl, beat one whole egg into your two egg yolks. Next, add two tablespoons of sugar and beat until smooth.

Afterward, add a two-thirds cup of buttermilk, one tablespoon of vanilla, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and the zest of one lemon. Once everything is thoroughly mixed, add in a half cup of whole milk ricotta cheese, and mix until combined.

Combined the ingredients...

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients about a half a cup at a time. It's vital that you only mix until just combined because over-mixing will give you tough cakes, so the less you mix, the better. Also, this pancake batter is very thick; don't be alarmed.

The egg whites...

Remember those egg whites you reserved? Now, you're going to take beat them until they turn into a firm, but fluffy, peaks. See the photo above. It is best to do this with a stand/hand mixer, but it is possible to do this by hand. Your arm will get very tired, but this is what adds the extra fluffiness to your pancakes, so it is worth it.

Be gentle...

Now, gently fold about half the fluffy egg whites at a time, into your pancake mixer.  It is also very important to fold in the egg whites until just combined. If you mix too much, or too roughly, the batter will deflate, and the pancakes will not be as fluffy.  It's okay if some of the egg whites are still visible.

Cook...

Before you start to cook the pancakes, prep your blueberries by washing them and tossing the blueberries in about a tablespoon of powdered sugar, this will create sweet pockets of blueberries.

Finally, heat a large pan to medium heat and add a tablespoon of cooking oil (adding more oil as needed). I prefer coconut oil because it has a high smoke point. Now, using a ladle, spoon the batter onto the pan using a circular motion. Use the back of the spoon to spread into pancake form. Once you've created the shape of your pancake, place the blueberries into the batter and press them in, gently, to adhere to the pancake. I prefer to place the blueberries into the batter, while the pancakes are cooking so that my mixture doesn't turn bluish-grey.

Cook time will vary depending on the size of your pancakes, so I try to keep mine on the smaller side. Cook each side for about five minutes. When the pancake is ready to flip, the bottom will be golden brown, and the batter will become firm, let it cook for another minute before flipping. This batter is very thick and needs more time to prepare, so watch the heat. Lower, longer cook time is better. Unlike traditional pancakes, this batter creates very few bubbles.

Serve...

Place the pancakes on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the excess oil. Serve with maple whipped cream, maple syrup, butter, and fresh berries.  The maple whip is easy to make. Using a mixer, whip together one cup of heavy whipping cream and a fourth of a cup of maple syrup until soft, but firm, peaks form (like the egg whites).

Craving more?  

Here are some other recipe(s) I think you might enjoy…

• Buttermilk Pancakes
• Simple Crepe Recipe

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Do you like this recipe?

Let me know by commenting below.

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