Lemon Cottage Cheese Pancakes
If you were to ask me what my top 5 favorite foods are, Pancakes were surely be on that list. First off I love sweets, especially at breakfast (but with a side of salty bacon of course), and pancakes when done right are just buttery, fluffy pillows of heaven. I also love them because my mom and grandma Rosemarie (rest in peace) would always make me pancakes on Saturday mornings and typically in fun shapes like Mickey Mouse, so they are super nostalgic for me. On a trip my husband and I took to Sonoma, California, we ate these Lemon Pancakes that I thought were Ricotta Pancakes, as they had little pockets of creamy deliciousness. When I asked the server about them she said it was actually Cottage Cheese! Long story short they were divine and one of the things I remember most about my trip, more than the wine..ha! After some research and trial and error I give you the recipe below! They are lemony, creamy yet fluffy and down right perfection.
Recipe Feeds about 4 People
Ingredients-
2 lemons -- zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2 lemons
3 each whole eggs, yolks and whites separated (you will use both)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons powered sugar (and more for garnish if you’d like)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup pancake flour (I used Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix)
1 Cup low-fat cottage cheese (Large Curd!)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Stick melted unsalted butter (plus more for the pan)
Serve with you choice of toppings such as: Maple Syrup, Whipped Cream, A dollop of Yogurt, Powdered Sugar and Berry Compotes!
Steps-
Mix lemon juice (2 lemons worth), lemon zest (1 lemon), egg yolks, cottage cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a separate bowl mix in the flour, pancake mix and salt.
Gently mix the flour mixture into the cottage cheese mixture.
Gently stir in the 1 stick of melted butter until everything is fully incorporated.
Whip egg whites to soft / medium peaks. Gently Fold the whites into the batter.
Cook pancakes on a nicely buttered griddle to desired doneness.
Top them with maple syrup and powdered sugar or your choice of toppings!