Cottage cheese and pumpkin pancakes with caramel sauce

Ingredients:

Pancakes

• 1.5 cups premium wheat flour
• 2 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. regular sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 2 large eggs
• 1.5 tbsp. sour milk
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese, let sit in a sieve for 1 hour to drain off excess liquid
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tbsp (30 g) butter, melted and cooled, plus more for frying
• 3/4 cup whipped cream, for serving

Caramel apple sauce

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 4 buds of cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 1 small piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1.5 cups of sugar
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp apple schnapps (vodka)

Preparation:

1. Prepare caramel sauceIn a medium saucepan, combine the cream, apple juice, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Set the cream aside and keep warm while you make the caramel.
2. Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, and apple cider vinegar in a medium saucepan and cook over high heat without stirring until the syrup is deep amber, about 8 minutes.
   
   Slowly pour the warm cream through a sieve, stirring constantly; continue stirring until smooth. Be careful! The caramel will bubble as you add the cream. Add the apple schnapps and cook for another 30 seconds. Pour into a bowl and keep the caramel sauce warm.
3. Preheat oven to 120°C. Place a baking sheet with a rack in the oven.
4. Make pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, ricotta, pumpkin, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture is smooth. Let the dough rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, but no more than 1 hour.
5. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush it with melted butter or spray with cooking spray. Drop 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet; cook until bubbly on the surface and edges and lightly golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Adjust the heat if the pancakes are cooking too quickly.
   
   Flip the pancakes over and continue cooking until golden brown on the other side, another 2 or 3 minutes; repeat with the remaining batter. Transfer the pancakes to a rack in the oven to keep warm.
   
   Serve pumpkin pancakes with caramel sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.
   
   Recipe pumpkin pancakes with syrup.