Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 360 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 16 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 4 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients and Aromatics
- 300 g whole milk ricotta cheese, drained of excess liquid
- 360 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 4 egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
- 95 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 lemon, fresh and scrubbed
- 5 ml pure vanilla extract
- 2½ ml pure almond extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 413 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Water
- 101 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) with an oven rack positioned in the center tier.
Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving a small overhang on the sides, and brush the surface and pan rim with 15 g of melted unsalted butter using a pastry brush.
Using a fine zester, grate 6 g of yellow zest from the lemons into a medium mixing bowl, then juice them with a citrus juicer to extract 45 ml of strained lemon juice into the same bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until thoroughly blended.
Add the whole milk ricotta cheese, whole milk, beaten eggs, the remaining 80 g of melted unsalted butter, pure vanilla extract, and pure almond extract to the bowl with the lemon zest and juice, then whisk vigorously until smooth and well emulsified.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry flour blend and fold gently with a silicone spatula just until the flour is hydrated, stopping while small lumps are still visible.
Pour the batter onto the prepared half-sheet pan and spread it evenly across the pan and into every corner using an offset spatula.
Bake in the preheated 220°C (425°F) oven for 14 to 16 minutes until the top is puffed and golden brown, and an instant-read digital thermometer inserted into the center reaches at least 71°C (160°F) to ensure the egg dish is fully cooked and safe.
Transfer the sheet pan to a wire cooling rack and allow the pancake to rest undisturbed for 5 minutes.
Slice the pancake into 8 uniform rectangular portions using a chef knife, portion onto warm plates, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- If your ricotta cheese has visible standing whey in the container, drain it through a fine-mesh sieve for 15 minutes before weighing to keep the batter ratio precise.
- Almond extract is extremely potent; measuring precisely at 2.5 ml ensures it functions as a complementary aromatic note that deepens the floral lemon zest rather than overpowering it.
- Baking in a high-heat oven at 220°C (425°F) produces steam rapidly from the ricotta and milk, creating superior loft without needing to separate and whip egg whites.
- For brunch entertaining, you can measure dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk wet ingredients in a jar the night before, then combine and bake just before guests arrive.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cool completely and store cut portions in an airtight container lined with parchment paper between slices.
Freezer: 2 months — Flash freeze single squares on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag.
Reheating: Reheat refrigerated slices in an oven preheated to 175°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes until heated through to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F). Alternatively, microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds until steaming.
Troubleshooting
Pancake is dense, flat, and rubbery rather than light and fluffy
Cause: The batter was vigorously overmixed, forming too much gluten network, or the leavening agents were stale.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked; serve topped with warm maple syrup or fruit compote to mask textural density.
Prevention: Fold the wet and dry ingredients only until the flour pockets disappear, and confirm baking powder freshness by testing a pinch in warm water.
Center remains wet, gooey, or registers below 71°C (160°F) while edges brown too fast
Cause: The oven rack was positioned too low, or the oven runs hotter than indicated, causing exterior browning before the core cooks.
Fix: Tent the top loosely with aluminum foil and return to the oven at 190°C (375°F) for 4 to 6 minutes until the center registers 71°C (160°F).
Prevention: Use a verified oven thermometer and bake squarely on the middle rack.
Pancake sticks firmly to the bottom of the pan when cutting and serving
Cause: Parchment paper was omitted or the pan was insufficiently buttered before adding the wet batter.
Fix: Slide a thin metal spatula or fish spatula carefully between the pan base and the pancake crust to gently release each section.
Prevention: Always line the pan with parchment paper and brush thoroughly with melted butter.
Cultural Context
Ricotta hotcakes gained global prominence through contemporary Australian café culture and Italian-American breakfast menus, praised for their melt-in-the-mouth crumb. The sheet-pan adaptation emerged in modern home kitchens as an ingenious entertaining technique, transforming a labor-intensive short-order griddle routine into a single-pan bake that delivers fresh, warm pancakes to a crowd all at once.
