Let's Have Brunch - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd

Although I am a French toast fan, these lemon ricotta pancakes from afamilyfeast.com, are a great alternative to plain old pancakes. They are light and fluffy, and get two thumbs up! To save time the morning of your brunch or family breakfast, you will want to prepare the lemon curd in advance so it has time to cool (can be made the day before). This recipe makes about 8-10 pancakes, so you will have to double (or triple) for a larger group. They are sure to be a hit with the lemon lovers in your family.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

1 cup ricotta cheese (**see note below)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

pinch of salt

3/4 cup milk

3 eggs, separated (place the whites in a medium-size mixing bowl, and the yolks in a separate bowl)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon zest (use a very fine grater)

1 cup lemon curd for serving

**Note - Before you begin, you want to use a dry ricotta cheese for this recipe. If you are making homemade ricotta cheese, strain the ricotta for 2 full hours. If using store-bought ricotta, set the cheese in a fine mesh strainer for about 30 minutes to allow for any excess whey to drain off.

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the drained ricotta cheese, milk, egg yolks, vanilla and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Set aside.

3. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Set aside.

4. To make the pancakes, add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in a small amount of the egg whites to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.

5. Heat a flat griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray (or brush with oil), then pour the batter onto the griddle (each pancake should use about 1/3 cup of the batter). Cook until golden brown on each side (about 3 minutes on each side).

6. Top pancakes with a generous amount of lemon curd and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Lemon Curd

from Julia Foster

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest, finely grated

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs.

2. Add the butter and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a whisk, until the first bubble appears on the surface of the mixture and the curd is thick enough to hold marks of the whisk, about 6-8 minutes.

3. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer if you don't want the lemon zest in the curd. Transfer the hot lemon curd to a bowl or jar and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold, then take off the plastic wrap and replace with a lid.

4. The curd keeps fresh in the refrigerator for about 1 week.