- Prep Time:
15 mins - Cook Time:
35 mins - Total Time:
50 mins
These light and fluffy pancakes served with lemon butter and warm blueberry compote will make your weekend brunch feel special.
I don’t often go out for breakfast or brunch. I would much rather sleep in and ease into my day drinking a cup of tea while still in my pajamas. However, I did have one really memorable outing late last year to The Dunlavy where I had their lemon ricotta pancakes with lemon butter and blueberry compote. Technically, my friend ordered them (because they are his favorite item on the menu) and insisted I try some. Let’s just say I might have had a case of ordering envy.
The pancakes were light and fluffy with just the right hit of lemon that was enhanced by the generous smear of lemon butter on them. The warm blueberry compote made the dish feel special. I swore I would come back and order my own plate of lemon ricotta pancakes.
Needless to say, I haven’t been able to revisit The Dunlavy and it’s unlikely I’ll get to go anytime in the near future. So, I’ve been working on a recipe that would replicate the same magic as The Dunlavy’s lemon ricotta pancakes. And I’m quite happy with this one.
Tips for making lemon ricotta pancakes with lemon butter and blueberry compote
There are several components involved here to get the full experience – pancakes, butter, and compote. Here are a few tips to make it all happen and still be able to savor your weekend brunch –
- Set out half a stick of butter to start softening before you do anything else. I like to set it near the pilot light of the stove to help it soften faster.
- Make the blueberry compote before making the pancakes. The compote will stay warm while the pancakes are cooking and it can be easily re-warmed over low heat if necessary.
- The blueberry compote keeps very well in the refrigerator so make extra to have on hand.
- While the pan is heating for the pancakes, finish making the lemon butter.
- As with any pancake batter, don’t over mix the batter. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together just until there are no more large streaks of flour.
By the way, if you are looking for something that is more weekday friendly, try this recipe for buttermilk pancakes.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Butter and Blueberry Compote
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: About 12–15 (4 1/2 inch) pancakes 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
These light and fluffy pancakes served with lemon butter and warm blueberry compote will make your weekend brunch feel special.
Ingredients
For the pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- butter or non-stick cooking spray for cooking the pancakes
For the lemon butter
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
For the blueberry compote
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 (3 by 1/2-inch) strips fresh lemon zest
- 2 cups (10 ounces) blueberries
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water until smooth
Instructions
For the pancakes
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients until evenly mixed. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, ricotta cheese, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest until evenly mixed. Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until just mixed. There will be some lumps in the batter which is perfectly fine. Don’t over mix.
- Heat a heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot (To test it, flick a little water into the pan. The water should skitter across the surface.) Lightly coat the skillet with non-stick cooking spray or butter. Working in batches, for each pancake, pour a scant 1/3 cup of the batter into the skillet and cook until bubbles form on the surface, the edges are a little dry and the underside is nicely browned, 2-3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the bottoms are browned, 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Serve the pancakes warm with a generous smear of lemon butter and some warm blueberry compote.
For the lemon butter
- In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the lemon zest with a fork until evenly mixed.
For the blueberry compote
- In a large saucepan, boil together the water, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest uncovered for 5 minutes. Discard zest. Stir in blueberries and simmer, stirring occasionally, until blueberries begin to burst, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir cornstarch mixture to re-combine then stir into blueberry mixture. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, until sauce thickens slightly.
Notes
- If you can find them, meyer lemons make this recipe even better.
- The blueberry compote can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
- If you are using an artisan ricotta, the batter may need extra liquid to be pourable. Gently mix in extra buttermilk one tablespoon at a time until the batter is the consistency of a thick cake batter.
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