Pancake Day has rolled around once more, and it’s practically a law that you must indulge in these fluffy treats at least once today. Despite their simple ingredient list, pancakes can be surprisingly tricky to perfect.
They can often turn out rather heavy, and that’s before we even tackle the art of flipping them – a skill I’ve yet to master, which is why I usually steer clear of making pancakes on any other day of the year. However, given the special occasion, I chose to set aside my reservations and whip up a tasty batch of pancakes using a recipe that initially seemed quite unappetising to me.
The recipe calls for cottage cheese, an ingredient that makes my stomach churn just looking at it, but according to health experts at ZOE, it’s packed with health benefits. Their cottage cheese pancake recipe boasts a hefty 27g of protein and uses other basic ingredients like oats, banana and egg, making it a budget-friendly option as well.
In fact, a serving of cottage cheese has twice the protein of an egg, helping you stay full for longer.
When I first saw this video on TikTok, I was instantly put off by the mention of cottage cheese. Every attempt I’ve made to cook with it has resulted in something virtually inedible, and the texture made me want to toss it straight into the bin and never try again.
However, these pancakes appeared so light and appetising, and there was no mention in the comments of a lingering cottage cheese flavour in the final product.
I’m absolutely thrilled I gave them a go, as this is the only method I’ll use to whip up pancakes from now on. They were fluffy, sweet and utterly irresistible, coming together in under 15 minutes and were a breeze to prepare.
Cottage cheese pancakes
Ingredients
- 50g oats
- One banana plus extra for decoration
- 150g cottage cheese
- One egg
- Pinch each of salt, baking powder and cinnamon
- A splash of water or milk (I used oat)
- Chocolate chips (not included in the original recipe but added a delicious touch)
Method
First, put your oats in a blender and whizz them up into a fine powder, or oat flour. I actually didn’t know this was how oat flour was made, but have seen it in loads of recipes, so good to know.
Next, mix together the remaining ingredients barring the chocolate chips, and give it another good blend. If the mixture appears too dense, feel free to add a splash of water or milk, but ensure it remains pourable to achieve those thick, fluffy pancakes.
Mix in the chocolate chips – these are optional but they melted nicely, lending an extra layer of indulgence to the pancakes.
Then, heat a pan over medium flame, adding a little bit of of oil or butter to prevent the pancakes from sticking. Pour in a small quantity for each pancake to ensure even cooking.
I piled the pancakes high, drizzled with a touch of honey and some additional banana slices, and dug in.
Despite my initial apprehension about the cottage cheese, it turned out to be a non-issue. It was undetectable in the final product, and the pancakes boasted a unique texture that I’d never managed to achieve before.
There was even sufficient batter left for three more small pancakes, making this recipe inexpensive.
To all the cottage cheese sceptics out there, don’t let this deter you. This ranks among the best pancake recipes I’ve ever sampled, and I’ll certainly be recreating it throughout the year.