Make Ricotta Pancakes

Pancakes are always a delicious breakfast option, but you can take them to a new level. By mixing some ricotta into the batter, you can create extremely light and moist pancakes without changing the taste. Ricotta pancakes get even airier, though, when you incorporate whipped egg whites into the batter just before you cook the pancakes -- which means your friends and family are sure to be wowed when you serve these up at your next breakfast gathering.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (128 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
• 1 ½ tablespoons (19 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon (1 g) fine salt
• 1 cup (246 g) ricotta cheese
• ¾ cup (177 ml) milk
• 2 large eggs, separated
• ½ teaspoon (2 ½ ml) vanilla extract
• Butter, for cooking

Steps

Mixing Up the Base Batter

1. Combine the flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Add 1 cup (128 g) of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon (2 g) of baking powder, 1 ½ tablespoons (19 g) of granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon (1 g) of fine salt to a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until they’re fully combined, and set aside for the moment.
   • If you’re in a hurry, you can substitute 1 cup (120 g) of boxed pancake mix for the dry ingredients.
2. Stir the the ricotta, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla together. After you’ve mixed the dry ingredients, add 1 cup (246 g) of ricotta cheese, ¾ cup (177 ml) of milk, 2 egg yolks, and ½ teaspoon (2 ½ ml) of vanilla extract to a separate large bowl. Blend the wet ingredients together until they’re fully mixed.
   • To separate the eggs, crack them against a flat surface. Break the eggs in half over a bowl, allowing the yolks to drop into the lower half. Move the yolks back and forth between the halves, so the whites drip into the bowl below. Continue moving the yolks until all of the whites are removed. Reserve the whites for later use.
   • If you’d like to add a fresh, lemony flavor to the pancakes, mix 1 tablespoon (6 g) of finely grated lemon zest into the wet ingredients.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture. Once all of the wet ingredients are mixed, pour the dry ingredients into the bowl. Gently mix the dry ingredients in until the batter is just combined.
   • Be careful not to overmix the batter, or you may wind up with tough, chewy pancakes.

Lightening the Batter with Egg Whites

1. Beat the egg whites until they’re stiff. Add the two egg whites that you’ve reserved to a small bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat the whites on medium until they form stiff peaks.
   • You’ll know that the whites have formed stiff peaks when you pull the beaters out of them and the peaks that are created don’t fall.
2. Mix a small scoop of the egg whites into the batter. When the whites are stiff, take a small spoonful and add it to the pancake batter. Gently fold the whites in to help lighten up the batter.
3. Fold in the remaining whites. After you’ve mixed in the first scoop of egg whites, add the remaining whites. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold them in until there are no white streaks in the batter.
   • Once again, take care not to overmix the batter. You don’t want to deflate the whites, or the pancakes won’t have a light, airy texture.

Cooking the Pancakes

1. Heat a pan and melt some butter in it. When you’ve finished mixing the batter, place a large skillet on the stove. Heat it over medium-high heat, and add a small amount of butter to melt and grease the pan.
   • You can use a griddle to cook the pancakes if you prefer.
   • You want to add just enough butter to coat the surface of the skillet when melted. Start with a small amount and add more only if necessary.
2. Pour some batter into the pan and let it cook for a few minutes. When the skillet is hot and greased, ladle approximately ¼ cup (30 g) of batter into the pan for each pancake. Allow the pancakes to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden.
   • You can often tell that the pancakes are finished on the first side when bubbles begin to appear in their tops.
   • If you’d like to add chocolate chips or blueberries to your pancakes, sprinkle a few into the pancakes when they’re just set but before you turn them over.
3. Turn the pancakes over and cook for another couple of minutes. When the first side of the pancakes are finished cooking, use a wide, metal spatula to carefully flip them over. Let them cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the other side is also golden.
4. Repeat with all of the batter. When your first batch of pancakes is finished, transfer them from the skillet to a plate. Add more pancakes to the skillet and repeat the process until you’ve used up all of the batter.
   • You can keep the finished pancakes warm while you cook the other batches by placing another plate on top of them and placing them in the oven with the temperature set to low or warm.
5. Serve the pancakes while warm. Once you’ve finished cooking all of the pancakes, divide them between plates to serve while they’re still warm. Top the pancakes with maple syrup, butter, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, fruit jam, and/or lemon curd.

Tips

• For the best results, be sure to use fresh whole-milk ricotta.
• If you like, you can prepare the batter the night before and refrigerate it overnight. Allow it to sit out to come to room temperature and whisk it quickly before making pancakes.
• If you’d prefer to have ricotta pancakes with a more custard-like texture, use the yolks and whites from 3 large eggs and lower the amount of flour to ¾ cup (94 g).

Things You’ll Need

• 2 small bowls
• Wooden spoon
• Large bowl
• Handheld electric mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Large skillet
• Wide, metal spatula
• Plate

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Vegan Pancakes
• Make Pancakes
• Make Crepes
• Make Bisquick Mix Pancakes
• Make Chinese Pancakes
• Make Buttermilk Pancakes
• Make Canadian Pancakes
• Make Basic Pancakes
• Make Potato Pancakes
• Make Pancakes for One

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