Ricotta Hotcakes with poached pear and glazed almonds.
Serves 4
Ingredients :
3 cups self raising flour
3 eggs
1 tablespoon melted margarine
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
3 cups milk
3 pears
2 cinnamon quills
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cloves
1 star anise
100g honey
100g ricotta
100g almonds
1 lemon
150g caster sugar
1.5 litres water
Method:
First we will prepare the syrup to poach the pears in. Pour the water into a saucepan and add the cloves, cinnamon quills and honey. Zest the lemon and add it to the water along with the star anise and 150g of caster sugar. Put the pot on a medium heat and place 2 of the the pears into the liquid to simmer, they should be immersed completely. Let the pears cook for 30-40 minutes or until they feel totally cooked. Now remove the pears from the liquid and let them cool, leave the pot on the heat and let it boil until it thickens slightly to a syrup like consistency. Once it is done remove it from the heat and strain the spices from it, then pour the syrup back into the pan (if it thickens too much you can add a little bit more water to thin it down again).
We will now prepare the hotcake batter. Begin with a large mixing bowl, grate the remaining uncooked pear into the bowl, squeeze the juice of the lemon over the top of it. Add the 5 tablespoons of sugar to the bowl along with the melted butter, eggs, ground cinnamon, ricotta and salt. Give this all a quick mix and then slowly add the milk while whisking. When all the milk has been added sift the flour 1/2 a cup at a time into the milk while whisking, this ensures your batter is lump free. Cook the batter in a non stick pan as per usual pancakes (note: they will take a little longer to cook because of the ricotta). Cut wedges from your poached pear and warm the syrup. When the syrup is hot throw the almonds in to glaze. To serve stack the cakes in the middle of your plate with the poached pear segments on top, then pour the syrup and glazed almonds over it all. You can garnish it with a simple mint leaf or the cinnamon quills from the syrup.
Mum will love these!!
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