Lemon Mascarpone Pancakes

For the pancakes:

In a large bowl sift all the dry ingredients together (flour through salt). Add the lemon zest and mix well.

In a separate bowl, add milk, mascarpone, oil, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Whisk together to combine. Add mixture to the dry ingredients mixture, and whisk till mostly combined.

Whisk your egg white in a small bowl until you reach stiff peaks. Add this to the batter, and fold gently to incorporate.

Optional: Allow the batter to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

Heat a non-stick pan (ideally, a heavy-bottomed one for a more even distribution of heat) over a medium heat and coat it with oil. Use a ¼ cup measure to drop dollops of batter into the pan leaving space between the cakes.

Cook until the bottom is golden brown and there are a few bubbles forming through the top. Flip and repeat. Adjust the heat as necessary. Remove cooked pancakes to a plate and finish cooking the rest of the batter. Serve with the compote.

For the berry compote:

In a small pot, combine water, sugar and mixed berries. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer, occasionally stirring to help break down the berries and reduce the mixture. Add the balsamic vinegar. Stir, and let the compote reduce till desired consistency is achieved.