Triple berry ricotta pancakes

A delicious and satisfying breakfast treat!

I love adding ricotta to muffins, loaves, pancakes and more as I find it adds so much flavour and texture, plus the extra protein is a welcome bonus. These pancakes have more staying power than conventional ones, and my technique of scattering the berries on the batter right in the pan ensures even distribution. You can use a classic ‘bumbleberry’ combination of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, or come up with your own blend of fruits. If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy these fluffy yet substantial lemon-oat-ricotta pancakes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (214g) all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tablespoons (46g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) milk
• 3/4 cup (180g) ricotta
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon (14g) butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cups (190 g) mixed berries
• Vegetable or other neutral oil, for cooking

Method

• Preheat oven to 300F to keep cooked pancakes warm until whole batch is cooked.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, ricotta, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add melted butter and whisk again.
• Immediately pour milk mixture into flour mixture and whisk just until no dry spots show (it’s ok that the batter will be somewhat lumpy).  
• Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add a little vegetable or other neutral oil to lightly grease surface.
• Pour 1/3 cup (80 mL) of batter onto griddle or skillet. Scatter 1 tablespoon of the berries over top and cook until bubbles begin to appear on surface and bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook opposite side until golden brown. Keep cooked pancakes warm on a baking tray placed in the oven.
• Repeat with remaining batter, adding a little more oil to skillet or griddle as needed.
• Serve warm dusted with powdered sugar and/or drizzled with maple syrup, if desired.
• In the unlikely event you have leftover pancakes, they can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated.

Serves 6.