Speechless (aka Blueberry and Plain Ricotta Hotcakes with Maple Butter)

Is five pictures worth 5,000 words?

Blueberry Ricotta Hotcakes with Maple Butter
Donna Hay Issue 44 Apr/May - cover recipe

1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups (375ml) buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g ricotta, crumbled
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar, extra
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
maple syrup and lemon wedges, to serve
maple butter
80g butter
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup

Best things I've ever made! I think that sums it up. Seriously, so so delicious. Better than most pancakes I've had at pancake houses. If I ever have a bed and breakfast this is the recipe I will use for my hotcakes. so good. (ok I'm done.)

To make the maple butter, place the butter and maple syrup in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Place flour, sugar, egg YOLKS, buttermilk and vanilla in a bowl and mix to combine. Whisk the eggwhite until stiff peaks form and fold through the flour mixture with the ricotta.
Heat a lightly greased large non-stick frying pan over low heat. Cook 2 tablespoons of the mixture, in batches, for 3-4 minutes each side or until puffed and golden. Combine the extra sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the pancakes. Top with the maple butter, drizzle over the maple syrup and serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.
For blueberry ricotta hotcakes, add 1 cup (150g) fresh or frozen blueberries to the flour mixture with the ricotta.

I finally had an excuse good enough to spend 10 dollars on "real" maple syrup and go hunting for the ever elusive buttermilk. Turns out they hide the buttermilk right on top of the regular milk at my grocery store. I'd never seen it before because I buy lactose-free long-life milk that's kept on the regular shelves, not in the fridge section.
The syrup we had in the fridge is called "Maple Flavoured Syrup." So not cutting it for me.

Let's see... I had my husband beat the egg whites because as anyone who bakes knows, it can take a while to get them to form stiff peaks, and I knew he'd never beaten eggs before so I lured him with the fun promise that the eggs "turn white and start to look like the ocean.... yes just keep beating them... just a bit longer!" hehehe I've used fresh blueberries. Oh and the ricotta is so nice in the hotcakes, you'll find pockets of it. I found the sugar sprinkled on top to be a little excessive but hey... I made breakfast for dinner that's always a treat!

I just made these again this morning, I wasn't sure if the batter would keep overnight but they are still excellent.

the photos:
1. blueberry hotcake cut into
2. first plain hotcake before I added the blueberries to the batter
3. blueberry hotcakes
4. maple syrup
5. maple butter