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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Ricotta Pancakes with Brown Sugar Cherry Sauce

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I just have to share this recipe with you so that if you want to make a special breakfast for any Dad in your life on Sunday, you give this one a shot. The recipe is from the latest issue of Bon Appetit (June 2008). For me anyway, the name pretty much sells itself, but in case you aren't convinced - take a look.

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These pancakes aren't heavy, but they are slightly more substantial than a plain ole pancake. They use egg white to help keep them light and fluffy. They are richer and have a bit of a 'creamy' texture to them from the ricotta. With the addition of the cherry sauce (and did I mention it has brown sugar in it... seriously, can you ever go wrong with brown sugar?) these are flat out awesome. I added a bit of almond flavored lightly whipped cream on top which pretty much melted for the most part as you can see because the cherry sauce was still nice and warm.

One tip I can share with you is that this "lightly whipped cream" of mine, is actually my lazy version of whipping cream. You see, I hate dirtying up an extra bowl, just to whip some cream just for me - especially when *sigh* I still don't have a hand mixer (just whisk and stand mixer - weird, I know). I also don't have one of those cool whipping gadgets (and as much of a gadget junkie as I am, just can't justify it...anyway, I digress - I was just so distracted by the pretty red color of the gadget - which actually brings us back to the pretty red cherries!).

So, what's a girl to do? Here you go, it's not terribly earth shattering, but you never know right?

Cream Topping - Shaken, Not Whipped
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon confectioners' sugar (or a bit less, depending on how sweet you like the cream to be)
1/4 teaspoon extract (I used almond here, but I usually use vanilla)

Combine all three ingredients in an empty, clean jelly jar or Mason jar. Put on the lid and shake vigorously until thick. (It only takes about a minute - incidentally, if you keep shaking, eventually you'll have butter - as a random aside, this is how Pioneers made their butter when they were walking across the Country to Utah. It is a fun thing to do with kids some time and the butter is great and creamy. Just omit the sugar and flavoring and shake the cream. You could add a small pinch of salt if you wish.)

Ricotta Pancakes with Brown Sugar Cherry Sauce
(Source: Bon Appetit June 2008 via Epicurious)

Sauce:
1/2 cup (or more) water, divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups halved pitted fresh Bing cherries or other dark sweet cherries (about 14 ounces unpitted cherries)
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pancakes:
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup whole milk
3 large egg whites

Vegetable oil (for brushing)

For sauce:
Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in small bowl. Melt butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cherries, 1/4 cup water, and brown sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; add cornstarch mixture and stir until mixture boils and thickens, adding water by tablespoonfuls if sauce is very thick, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.

For pancakes:
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat ricotta cheese and egg yolks in large bowl at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low; add flour mixture alternately with milk in 2 additions each, beating just until blended and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Using electric mixer fitted with clean beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into ricotta mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites in 3 more additions.

Heat griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat; brush griddle lightly with oil. Drop batter by generous 1/4 cupfuls onto griddle; spread each pancake with offset spatula to form 3 1/2-inch round. Cook until bubbles form on tops of pancakes and bottoms are golden, about 3 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until golden brown on bottoms, about 2 minutes.

Transfer pancakes to plates. Top with cherry sauce and cream, if desired, and serve.

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11 comments:

Manggy said...

Hey, even with the melty cream, it still looks really moreish :) (Bon Appetit seems to have a thing for pancakes since their makeover, heh :)

Don't tell anyone I suggested this (what the hey, I'm already writing it down for all to see), but you can get by with a pressurized can of whipped topping, hahaha! :D I only have a hand mixer... Downside is I can't make bread, but that's what muscular arms are for, lol :)

Nikki57 said...

I don't even like pancakes, but these look so tasty. Do you think you could maybe snap your fingers and get yourself to my place and make them for breakfast for me :)

Cannelle Et Vanille said...

hi holly! sorry i haven't commented in a while... i have been busy with life but i am back and i love seeing this. i am planning on making somethign similar for father's day breakfast. lovely!

Deborah said...

I had no idea about making butter that way!!

These pancakes sound fabulous!

Jenny said...

We both had pancakes on the brain late last night, love the looks of them! MMMM! Have a great Father's Day Weekend!

Unknown said...

Good lord, I saw this first thing this morning and it literally had me drooling. I wish so badly I had been able to have it for breakfast.

(I had left over chocolate cake as a replacement, and it was good, but I am sure not as good at that.)

Steph said...

We are pancake fools in our house. My daughter has eaten pancakes almost every single day since her 1st birthday. Her favorite! These look sensational!

Gabi said...

Oh- yummy- you had me at the title but the pics are really making me drool!
Cherry season is almost here in Utah and (Yeah!) the Farmer's Market opens this weekend in Pioneer park downtown SLC! Are you going?
xoxo

Mike of Mike's Table said...

I've never had pancakes like this but it looks like something I need to rectify at once! These sound delicious and the topping also looks great. Even if the whipped cream is a little melted, it still just screams "eat me!"

Jaime said...

WOW - cherry brown sugar sauce?!?! i HAVE To try this!

Brown Sugar said...

These pictures look wonderful!
I don't know why I hadn't thought of brown sugar and cherry together, but now that you mentioned it, I don't know what's stopping me!

Cindy
http://www.jbkpottery.com

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