Ricotta hot cakes with honeycomb butter

When Aussie chef Bill Granger generously shared this recipe from his first restaurant, within days it was on menus around the world.

RICOTTA HOT CAKES WITH HONEYCOMB BUTTER

Serves 6

Honeycomb butter:

250g unsalted butter, softened

100g sugar honeycomb, crushed with a rolling pin (or remove the chocolate from a Crunchie bar and crush the middle bit)

125ml (cup) honey

Hot cakes:

250g ricotta cheese

185ml (¾ cup) milk

4 large eggs, separated

140g cake flour

5ml (1 tsp) baking powder

Pinch of salt

50g butter

6 bananas, sliced lengthways (or seasonal fruit of your choice)

Handful pecan nuts, chopped

Method:

For the honeycomb butter, place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Shape into a log on plastic wrap, roll tightly, seal and chill in a fridge for two hours.

For the hot cakes, place ricotta, milk and egg yolks in a bowl and mix to combine.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add to the ricotta mixture and mix until just combined. Place egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites through batter in two batches with a large metal spoon.

Lightly grease a large, non-stick frying pan with a small portion of the butter and drop 30ml (2 tbsp) of batter per hot cake into the pan (don't cook more than three per batch). Cook over a low to medium heat for two minutes or until hot cakes have golden undersides. Turn hot cakes and cook on the other side until golden and cooked through.

Assemble quickly, stacking hot cakes and sliced bananas in alternate layers on plates. Top with a slice of honeycomb butter and a sprinkle of pecan nuts (or dust with icing sugar as in Bill's original). Serve immediately.

Store leftover honeycomb butter in the fridge for up to 24 hours or keep it in the freezer for longer.

Find Bill's recipes on www.lifestylefood.com.au.