breakfast for dinner

Within the first couple weeks of each new year, predictions of upcoming food trends are announced.  One of my favorites this year is “breakfast for dinner”. Now, that is one trend I can get on board with! I love breakfast foods and I especially love to eat them for dinner, strangely it seems like such a treat. These light and fluffy little slightly savory pancakes with a lightly sweet topping are what I consider a perfect ending to the day.

Ricotta Pancakes with Raspberry Crème Fraîche

1/3 cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups ricotta
Butter for skillet

Place the crème fraîche in a small bowl and lightly stir in the jam, refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl mix together the milk and egg yolks. Add flour mixture and mix well.

In another bowl, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form and then gently fold into batter. Stir in ricotta, making sure not to over-mix.

Melt a little butter in a non-stick skillet and then spoon out about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake. Cook the pancakes until a few of the bubbles that form on the top of each pancake begin to pop, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over and cook for another minute, or until lightly browned

Transfer the cooked pancakes to an ovenproof dish and place them in a warm oven (about 200 degrees) until the entire batch is ready to be served.

Serve with raspberry crème fraîche.

Makes about 18 pancakes