Name: Ricotta hotcakes with vanilla-roasted blood orange
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 2-4 (2 for brunch or 4 as a dessert)
Ingredients: 2 eggs; 150g ricotta; 80ml whole milk; 115g self-raising flour; 2 tbsp caster sugar; butter for frying; crème fraîche to serve (optional); 4 blood oranges peeled and sliced; 4 tbsp light brown soft sugar; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 40g salted butter cubed

Four stacked ricotta hotcakes with vanilla-roasted blood oranges

2 eggs
150g ricotta
80ml whole milk
115g self-raising flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
butter
for frying
crème fraîche
to serve (optional)

For the blood oranges

4 blood oranges
peeled and sliced
4 tbsp light brown soft sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
40g salted butter
cubed

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. First, prepare the oranges. Put the slices in a baking dish with the sugar, vanilla and butter. Roast for 15 mins, then remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
step 2
Separate the egg whites and yolks into two bowls. Mix the ricotta and milk into the bowl with the yolks, then stir in the flour and sugar. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until fluffy and aerated, then fold a spoonful into the ricotta and egg yolk mixture until loosened, then fold in the rest, being careful not to knock out the air.
step 3
Heat a little butter in a non-stick pan and add 2 spoonfuls of batter per hotcake. Cook on a medium-low heat for 3-4 mins on each side. Keep the cooked ones warm in the oven while you work with the rest of the batter. Serve the warm hotcakes with the blood oranges, along with their syrup, and some crème fraîche on the side if you like.