Poppy Seed Pancakes with Lemon Curd & Mascarpone
A fresh take on the classic combination of lemon and sugar, these poppy seed–studded pancakes get their tart sweetness from lemon curd, plus mascarpone for richness. The best part is that all the filled-and-shaped pancakes go into the oven to bake (just for a few minutes), so everyone can enjoy the dish together while it is warm. (This solves the common pancake issue of one person constantly at the hob, making pancake after pancake.)
Makes 10-12 pancakes
Ingredients
150g plain flour
1 tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
250ml milk
50g unsalted butter, melted but not hot, plus more for frying
1-2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp Cointreau, Grand Mariner, or vanilla extract (optional)
150-200g lemon curd
250g mascarpone cheese
Zest of one lemon
1 tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
250ml milk
50g unsalted butter, melted but not hot, plus more for frying
1-2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp Cointreau, Grand Mariner, or vanilla extract (optional)
150-200g lemon curd
250g mascarpone cheese
Zest of one lemon
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, milk, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Add Cointreau, if using.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until mixture is combined. Do not over-mix, as this will result in tough pancakes.
- Prepare your work station: Keep an oven-safe dish ready, as well as a large plate or chopping board on which you will fold the pancakes. Set a crêpe pan over medium heat, and melt enough butter to lightly coat the bottom. Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the centre of the pan and spread thinly with a crepe spreader, or give your pan a good swirl. Fry until the bottom of the pancake looks cooked and lightly browned, then transfer to the large plate or chopping board. Gently spread lemon curd over one half of the pancake using an angled pastry spatula or the back of a spoon, then fold in half. Add a dollop of mascarpone to the bottom half of the folded pancake, and fold again into a quarter. Place the filled pancake in the oven-proof dish, and repeat for the rest of your batter. Adjust the heat of the pan and add more butter before cooking each pancake if needed.
- Place your oven-proof dish in the oven for 4 minutes, until they are just warmed through. Remove from the oven, drizzle with more lemon curd and lemon zest. Enjoy!
BK Tips
- Feel free to use maple syrup in place of lemon curd, and skip the lemon zest. Alternatively you can use any other citrus curd.
- If you've made a couple of pancakes and feel the texture could be crispier, add a tablespoon of water to your batter, whisk, and make another pancake. Repeat the process again if needed.
- Plan ahead: Though not necessary, chilling the pancake batter before baking will improve taste and texture. You can store it in a covered container for up to 24 hours.
