Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Simple Blueberry Sauce

These will be the fluffiest pancakes you will ever put into your mouth. They are cloud-like and will take you on a field trip to heaven. Really.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

My family has been consuming blueberries at record amounts; the 40lbs we picked at Krause Berry Farms just a week ago has pretty much been consumed as is. Being a cook, I wanted to make something with fresh blueberries, as it is very rare I have them at hand to use in a recipe. Frozen berries turn my baking into disasters...it's very unfortunate. So I saved a small box of blueberries to create something magnificent. And I managed to reach my goal.

Time to take a bite of Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes smothered with Blueberry Sauce

I remember Peanut Crumpet telling me about her mom's uber fluffy ricotta pancakes. With that inspiration in mind, I searched the Internet for a blueberry version. Blueberry + lemon + ricotta appealed to me the most; the light and fresh flavours were perfect for a summer brunch. My mouth started salivating as I scrolled through all the photos, I was so eager to make them!

Admire the fluffiness of these Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Nero Belgian Waffle Bar

Nero Belgian Waffle Bar

When the mid-afternoon low blood sugar level hit as we strolled around Downtown Vancouver, my best friend's mom suggested we find something sweet for a snack. Walking along the streets until the afternoon sun made us crave ice cream so we headed towards Bella Gelateria. But from two blocks away, we saw the line up curving around the corner and went for plan B, waffles. Since Cafe Medina just closed at 4pm, I recommended we try Nero Belgian Waffle Bar as it has been on my wish list for a while now.

Those four blocks we walked felt like the largest four blocks that existed in downtown. Located at 1703 Robson Street, Nero Belgian Waffle Bar is a small restaurant that could easily be missed if one wasn't paying attention. The three tables outside were all full with customers enjoying their sugary treat. With a bit of tree shade and a light breeze, it is an impeccable environment to relax and chat with a friend over a plate of waffles. Being a dessertatarian, my eyes sparkled with excitement. My fancy waffle experience was about to begin!

Nero Belgian Waffle Bar's Summer Specials Menu

Krause Berry Farms

The joys of summer: continuous sunshine, no school (unless you go to summer school, then I pity you), sleeping in, eating icy treats, family vacations, trips to the beach, and berry season.

Every year, I look forward to my U-Pick adventure at Krause Berry Farms. No need to buy tiny boxes of berries at ridiculous prices, just pick the very best for yourself at only $1.75 a pound! I am so thankful that British Columbia is home to a variety of beautiful berries. I grew up vising berry farms for U-Pick; nearby home, in Penticton, but this farm in Langley has to be my favourite. 

Since my first visit to Krause Berry Farms years and years ago, they have expanded and upgraded in so many fantastic ways! New tables on 'The Porch' and in reused wagons can accommodate many more people during meal times, the bathrooms have more stalls, the market sells even more great finds, and they even have a cafe with fresh berry waffles and live music. Recently, they even opened their own winery! Krause Berry Farms has evolved into so much more than just a berry farm. Their market sells pre-picked berries if you would rather not get down and dirty in the fields, fresh vegetables, frozen pies and pizzas, preserves and jams, and other random knick-knacks. On this particular visit, I saw they have even started making their own fresh peanut butter! I got a taste tester and it was so. good. There is also a bakery that has so many delicious pies, shortcakes, cookies, fudge, and other sweets that are drool-worthy. Now that you have a glimpse of what the farm has to offer, let's see what the Crumpets specifically have to say.

Raspberries and Blueberries in mid-July

Berry Swirl Cheesecake

Berry Swirl Cheesecake

So, you bought 24 oz. of cream cheese, used two bricks in Peanut Crumpet's birthday cake and are now left with one brick. What to do with that one brick? Make more cheesecake!

This recipe is simple and versatile; swirl in just about anything! I used blueberries this time, but you can set aside a bit of batter and add some pumpkin or peanut butter or chocolate etc. Experiment with the flavours and let us know your suggestions!

1 brick of cream cheese was enough to make a small flat of cheesecake. Enough for 6 people to have a hearty piece. Doubling or tripling the recipe will work fine, special instructions are given in the recipe.

Berry Swirl Cheesecake 

Yield: 1 loaf sized cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup berries
• 2 tbsp sugar or honey
• ½ tbsp. orange juice or water (omit if using frozen berries)
• Orange zest 
• ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 ½ tbsp. butter or oil (I used coconut oil)
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla

 Directions:

1. To make the berry sauce,  cook berries, sugar, orange juice and zest in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. 
2. Lower the heat and continue to cook until reduced.
3. Once cooled, puree in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a loaf pan, especially well in the corners.
5. Blitz your graham crackers in a food processor to make crumbs. Add the melted butter or oil to the crumbs and mix until a wet sand texture is achieved. 
6. Press crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan, I recommend using a spatula.
7. Bake crust in the oven for 4 minutes.
8. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy.
9. Add egg and beat well. Then add lemon juice and vanilla and beat well.
10. Pour cheesecake batter over the crust and smooth the top.
11. Put dollops of the berry sauce over the top of the batter and gently swirl with a knife to create a marble pattern. Be careful not to hit the crust! (If you are doubling the recipe, alternate between batter and swirling to evenly distribute the filling in a thicker cake.)
12. To prevent cracking, put loaf pan in a larger pan with about 1 inch of boiling water.
13. Bake the entire cake for 35 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is puffed. For larger cakes, lower the heat to 325˚F after 30 minutes and bake for another 30 minutes.
14. After the baking time, turn off the oven and leave the cake inside for 15 minutes. Do not open the oven door!
15. After 15 minutes, cool on the counter until room temperature. Then refrigerate for a few hours before serving. You may choose to serve with extra berry sauce.

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡