Ricotta pikelets

[redsnake05]

Pikelets are a bit of an Antipodean thing. Growing up, my family took their pikelets very seriously. I don't often make them now, but, if I do, it is definitely serious business. For those of you not from here, you might call pikelets silver dollar pancakes, drop scones or griddle cakes. This is the best recipe I have come across.

Makes: about 18 - 24, depending on size.

2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup ricotta
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.

Mix together the wet ingredients thoroughly.

Slowly add wet ingredients to dry as you whisk or beat with a fork. Try to avoid lumps by slowly incorporating the dry ingredients into the wet around the edges. Once combined, whisk for another minute or so and set to one side. It should be a thick batter that will drizzle off a spoon easily.

At this point, many people leave the batter to sit. I prefer to leave the batter for an hour or more, as one does with yorkshire puddings, but you can cook it immediately and they will still be delicious.

Heat a heavy pan or electric frypan to a medium heat. Add butter or oil. It should be hot enough to sizzle. Give the batter a very quick stir (add just a little milk if it appears to have thickened up). Use a ladle, spoon or tea cup to pour batter into the pan into small circles (I like mine about 6 - 7 cm (2 1/4 - 2 1/2 inches) across). Cook for about two minutes, or until small bubbles form on the top. If the bottom scorches before the bubbles form, turn the heat down. If bubbles haven't formed and the bottom is pale and wan after two minutes, turn the heat up.

Turn the pikelets over and cook on the other side for another two minutes. Place a clean tea towel on a plate and place the cooked pikelets on this. Fold the other end of the tea towel up over the pikelets. Keep warm in a very low oven if desired. Wipe out the pan with a clean paper towel and start again.

Serve as you cook, or keep them warm to serve straight after cooking, or allow to cool and eat cold.

In my family, pikelets were served hot with butter and either maple syrup or golden syrup. The pikelets were stacked up about four high and the syrup drizzled on, then cut and eaten with a knife and fork. If served cold, they were served with jam and cream, rather like scones.

Since then, I have rather branched out (not, however, if cooking them for my mother). Here are some suggestions:

Add mashed banana to the batter and serve with caramel sauce
Add fresh berries and lemon zest to the batter and serve with lemon syrup and cream
Serve with berry and cinnamon compote (or orange and clove/cardamom, or any compote, really) and cream or creme fraiche
Squeeze a lemon over and sprinkle with sugar
Add sultanas (raisins) and chai spice mix to the batter

I do not, personally, like savoury toppings on my pikelets, but those of my friends who do assure me that they make an ideal vehicle for any topping you might routinely put on crackers.

Comments

[st_aurafina]

These look so good! Just wondering - on the chance you're an Australian-antipodean - where you find your buttermilk? I don't know if my Woolworths is just useless, or if I'm looking in the wrong place, but I've never been able to find it. (And usually just sour some milk with lemon juice, but it's not the same.)

[redsnake05]

I am an Antipodean of the New Zealand flavour, I am afraid, and I buy buttermilk in the dairy section at my local supermarket. It's kept with the cream, if that helps (I invariably look first with the sour cream and yoghurt, but no, it's with the cream). I hope you find a reliable source soon!

[st_aurafina]

Thanks! I'll have a hunt around the cream section and see what I can find!

[starfleetbrat]

They usually have it in the dairy section here in Australia. Woolworths have it on their online ordering site, as do coles if that helps.

But if you can't find it you can make your own. There is a recipe here:
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-quick-easy-buttermilk-substitute-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-185757

But you can also do it by making your own butter from cream:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Butter-With-a-Food-Processor-in-Two-Minutes

You just squeeze the buttermilk out as you make the butter!

[st_aurafina]

Thanks! I'm going to look more carefully in the dairy section. I'm rural, so my Woolies is a bit eccentric.

[killing_rose]

If you can't find buttermilk, you can make it using either vinegar or lemon juice as a souring agent. (E.G. how Yuletide Cell makes dairy-free buttermilk.)