Buttermilk Pancakes with Cherry & Mascarpone

The cherry topping can be left simmering while you cook the pancakes. The mascarpone cheese makes a lovely combination with the cherries, but ice cream is just as good.
Makes twelve 13 cm (5-inch) pancakes
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

A 20 cm (2-quart) saucepan and Omelette Pan can also be used for this recipe.

Ingredients
For the pancake batter:
  • 175g (1 1/3 cups) sifted plain flour
  • 4 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk
  • 125ml (½ cup) milk
  • 45g (3 tablespoon) butter, melted
  • 2 medium eggs
  • vegetable oil, for cooking
For the cherry topping:
  • 450g (1 lb) canned pitted black cherries
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 teaspoon cornflour
  • 225g (8 oz) mascarpone cheese


Method
1. Sift all the dry ingredients for the pancake batter into a bowl. Make a well in the middle.

2. Beat together all the wet ingredients except the vegetable oil, and gradually add these to the flour, beating between additions. Leave the batter to stand while preparing the cherry topping.

3. To make the topping, drain the cherries, reserving the juice. Put the cherries, sugar, lemon zest, and 4 tablespoons of the reserved cherry juice into the Saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring. Blend the cornflour with a little water and stir into the cherries, reduce the heat, and simmer until the sauce thickens.

4. To cook the pancakes, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the saucepan. When it is hot, wipe the excess oil out of the pan with paper towels. Pour about 3 tablespoons (¼ cup) of the batter into the pan and cook until bubbles break through the top surface. Using a pancake turner, turn the pancake over and cook the other side. Keep warm on a plate loosely covered with aluminium foil while you cook the remaining batter. Wipe the pan surface with oiled paper towel between pancakes.

5. To serve, spoon a little of the cherry sauce over one half of a pancake and put a spoonful of mascarpone cheese on the other half. Serve immediately.

For a little luxury, add 2 tablespoons of cherry brandy to the sauce.

These pancakes make a good basic base for any topping or filling, or they can be topped with scrambled eggs. Do not add the sugar for savoury pancakes, but a few dried herbs can be added instead.