APPLE & RICOTTA HOTCAKES WITH HONEY BUTTER

Prep time 15 mins  Cook time 30 mins Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

300g (2 cups) self-raising flour 55g (¼ cup) brown sugar 1 tsp baking powder 250ml (1 cup) milk 60g melted butter, cooled, plus 60g extra, for cooking 2 eggs Juice of ½ orange 1 tsp vanilla bean extract 150g ricotta, crumbled into pieces 1 Pink Lady apple, thinly sliced into rounds, plus 2 extra apples, thinly sliced, to serve 125g (1 punnet) Raspberries Macadamia Honey, to serve

Honey Butter 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature 100g Macadamia Honey 50g icing sugar, sieved Finely grated rind of ½ orange 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

METHOD

1. To make the honey butter, beat ingredients in an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before serving.

2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl to combine and make a well in the centre. Whisk milk, melted butter, eggs, orange juice and vanilla in a jug or separate bowl to combine. Add to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth and just combined, then stir in ricotta, leaving small chunks of ricotta throughout the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and stand for 30 minutes to rest.

3. Preheat oven to 100°C. Brush a non-stick frying pan with a little of the extra melted butter and place over low-medium heat. Add ¼-cupfuls (60ml) of hotcake mixture to the pan, allowing a little room between each for the mixture to spread. Cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and small bubbles appear around the edges.

4. Place an apple slice on the centre of each hotcake. Carefully flip the hotcakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Place in a single layer on a wire rack on a baking tray and place in the oven to keep warm. Use a paper towel to wipe the pan clean and repeat until you’ve used all the hotcake batter.

5. Serve the hotcakes topped with honey butter, extra sliced apple and raspberries, and drizzled with extra honey.