Lemon ricotta pancakes with berry compote and maple butter
Indulgent lemon ricotta pancakes with warm mixed-berry compote and maple butter — fluffy, bright and perfect for Mother's Day breakfast in bed.
These lemon ricotta pancakes feel like a hug on a plate — pillowy, gently tangy and dressed with sweet, warm mixed-berry compote and maple butter. They’re indulgent but straightforward, perfect for a relaxed Mother’s Day breakfast in bed.
Make the compote first, let the batter rest, then cook the pancakes fresh so they’re still steaming when you present them on a tray. Little touches — lemon zest, a dusting of icing sugar, a mint leaf — make it feel special without a lot of fuss.
Ingredients
- 150 g plain flour
- 10 ml baking powder
- 45 ml caster sugar — total: 1 tbsp for batter, 2 tbsp for compote
- fine sea salt — a pinch
- 2 eggs
- 200 g ricotta
- 120 ml milk — semi-skimmed or whole
- 1 lemon — zest and 1–2 tbsp juice
- 60 g unsalted butter — for batter, frying and compote/maple butter
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 300 g mixed berries — fresh or frozen
- 60 ml maple syrup — for maple butter and to serve
- 10 g icing sugar — for dusting
- 6 fresh mint leaves — for garnish
Equipment
- small saucepan
- non-stick frying pan
- zester
- measuring jug
Instructions
Make the berry compote first so it has time to cool. Put the mixed berries, 2 tbsp caster sugar, the juice of half the lemon and a 10 g knob of unsalted butter into a small saucepan. Gently bring to a simmer over a medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries have broken down and the sauce is slightly syrupy.
Warm the maple butter: put 30 ml maple syrup and a 20 g knob of unsalted butter in a small heatproof bowl or tiny pan and heat gently until the butter melts; whisk to combine and set aside warm.
Make the batter. Sift the plain flour and baking powder into a bowl, add 1 tbsp caster sugar and a pinch of fine sea salt and whisk to combine. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the ricotta, milk, the zest of the lemon, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 25 g melted unsalted butter until smooth. Fold the wet mix into the dry ingredients until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Leave the batter to rest so the flour hydrates and the pancakes go fluffy.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a small knob of unsalted butter and wipe it around the pan. For each pancake, pour roughly 60 ml batter (two heaped tablespoons) into the pan. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook the second side for 1–1½ minutes until golden and cooked through. Repeat, adding a little more butter if the pan goes dry. Keep cooked pancakes on a warm plate covered loosely with kitchen paper.
To serve: stack 3–4 pancakes per person, spoon over warm berry compote, drizzle with the maple butter and dust lightly with icing sugar. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and a little extra lemon zest if you like. Carry to the tray and present with a hot drink and a single flower for Mum.
Tips
- Rest the batter for 15 minutes — this hydrates the flour and gives noticeably airier pancakes.
- If using frozen berries, don’t thaw fully; add them straight to the pan for a slightly jammy compote and less watery sauce.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm between sheets of kitchen paper on a warm plate in a low oven (80°C) while you finish the batch.
- For an extra-light texture, fold wet into dry ingredients with a spatula rather than vigorous whisking.
- Make the compote up to a day ahead and gently reheat before serving to save morning time.
Substitutions
ricotta → 200 g full-fat Greek yoghurt
Stays closeplain flour → 150 g gluten-free plain flour blend (with xanthan gum)
Stays closemaple syrup → 60 ml runny honey
Noticeably differentmixed berries → 300 g sliced stone fruit (peaches/nectarines) cooked down with 2 tbsp sugar
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 960
- Calories
- 27 g
- Protein
- 118 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 54 g
- Sugar
- 500 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make these pancakes ahead?
You can make the compote a day ahead and reheat gently. Pancakes are best cooked and served immediately, but you can keep them warm in a low oven (80°C) between sheets of kitchen paper for up to 30 minutes.
Why did my pancakes turn out flat or tough?
Overmixing the batter develops gluten and makes them tough — mix until just combined. Also ensure the pan isn’t too hot; cook on medium so the interior can set before the outside browns.
Can I freeze these pancakes?
Yes. Freeze in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in a grill or toaster oven until warm and just crisp at the edges.
How can I make them lighter?
Separate the eggs, whisk the whites to soft peaks and fold them into the batter at the end for extra lift.
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