For breakfast this Saturday, why not make these ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter? Hotcakes are the American interpretation of pancakes and are usually made with baking powder with a batter that’s a little thicker than the European kind. These are delicious, light and addictive! They are ladled onto a hot surface to spread into golden circles and are served with maple syrup, fruit or honey. Be wicked this morning, forget about the diet and try these – add bananas and the meal is healthy enough. With good coffee or tea, nothing could be more decadent.

ORANGE RICOTTA HOTCAKES WITH HONEYCOMB BUTTER

• Ingredients
• 300 mls fresh ricotta cheese
• 175 mls milk
• 1 small orange, zest only (optional)
• 4 eggs separated
• 230 g all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50 g butter
• 1 banana for serving
• icing sugar for dusting

Method

• Put the ricotta, zest, milk and egg yolks in a bowl and combine well.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl and add the ricotta mixture, mixing it until everything is just mixed.
• Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until you reach stiff peak stage and fold them through the batter, using a metal spoon.
• Do this in two batches.
• Using a non-stick pan, grease lightly with butter and fry until each side is golden and cooked through.
• Slice a banana lengthways, stack 2 or 3 hotcakes on top of one another, add a slice of banana and drizzle generously with the honeycomb butter, dusting with icing sugar before serving.

HONEYCOMB BUTTER

Ingredients

250 g butter

100 g honeycomb  candy* – crushed with a rolling pin

5 dessertspoons honey

*You can buy honeycomb in most retailers and if you can’t there’s a recipe below.

Method

• Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until everything is smooth.
• Shape in a log, wrap in cling wrap and put in the refrigerator for two hours.
• When you serve the hotcakes, cut whatever size slice you like, and put on top to melt.
• It’s really great for breakfast as is.

For these recipes I need to give credit to chef everyone knows, Bill Granger. I received this recipe from an American friend who was quick to inform me that this is his recipe! We tried, loved it, adapted it only a tiny bit and highly recommend it for your breakfast this morning.

HOMEMADE HONEYCOMB

Ingredients

• 375 ml ordinary white sugar
• 2 tbsps water
• 3 tbsps honey
• 1 ½ tsps bicarbonate of soda

Method

• Grease a baking sheet well.
• Put the sugar in a heavy based pot and warm, add the water and the honey and heat to allow everything to melt, stirring continuously at this stage.
• Notice that small bubbles will rise to the top – it is crucial that you watch the size of the bubbles at this stage.
• Allow the bubbles to expand and the colour to deepen to a light golden colour.
• At this stage remove from heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda immediately.
• Be very quick here since you have, literally, seconds.
• As soon as it has been stirred in properly, pour into the greased baking sheet and allow to harden – it will take about 20 minutes.