DELCADO HOTCAKES WITH MAPLE, RICOTTA & CASHEW PRALINE - By mark best
If you think avo toast is keeping millennials out of the housing market, wait until they try these Delcado hotcakes.
“The ricotta hotcakes provide the perfect canvas for the buttery perfection of the Delcado. I love to push against convention and this recipe makes a compelling argument for using Delcados in sweet and savoury applications. The praline here is rendered a little more exotic with the use of cashews, but feel free to use almonds or hazelnuts. Maple syrup rounds off the conversation between the main players,” says chef Mark Best.
Serves 6
Prep 20 mins
Cook 30 mins
Ingredients
3 Delcado avocados
1 1/2 cups ricotta
3/4 cup milk
4 large free-range eggs, separated
1 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp castor sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
100g butter
180ml good-quality maple syrup
Method
Praline
100g unsalted roasted cashews
100g castor sugar
30mls water
Add the sugar and water to a heavy-based saucepan and cook over a moderate heat until it is a dark caramel colour. I like it quite dark and wisps of smoke will appear at this stage. Remove from the heat and stir in the cashews. Proceed with some caution as the caramel is as hot and unforgiving as lava. Turn out the mix onto a non-stick sheet or baking paper. Allow to cool to room temperature. When ready to use, grind to a fine powder.
* If you wish to make in advance, or store for any period, the bone-dry atmosphere of the freezer is the place. *
Hotcake batter
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the milk and egg yolks and whisk well to achieve a smooth batter. Don’t spare the horses. Add the ricotta and fold through with a metal spoon until just combined.
Place egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar and whisk until smooth. If using a KitchenAid etc, whisk at medium speed. Fold egg whites through batter in two batches, with a large metal spoon.
Lightly grease a large non-stick frying pan with a small knob of butter and heat until foaming. Drop 2 tablespoons of batter per hotcake into the pan (don't cook more than 3 per batch). Cook over a low to medium heat for 2 minutes, or until hotcakes have golden undersides. Turn hotcakes and cook on the other side until golden and cooked through. Keep warm in a low oven until you have cooked the remaining mix.
To serve
Cut the Delcados in half with a sharp paring knife and twist to remove the top half. Press both thumbs into the back of the remaining half and push up to remove the seed. Remove the flesh with a large kitchen spoon. Cut each half in 3 slices.
Place 3 hotcakes on each plate and the Delcado on top. Add a generous slurp of maple syrup and a heaped tablespoon of praline on top to finish.