Kayla Greer, the former personal chef to stars like Drake, Migos, and Nipsey Hussle, joined us in Los Angeles to share her recipe for lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry crème fraîche. While working with the late, great Hussle, this comfort food was one of the rapper's favorite breakfasts.
Greer knew Hussle from before she became a chef. They both grew up in the same neighborhood in Los Angeles, and eventually their friendship transformed into a successful working relationship. Hussle always supported Greer creatively and encouraged her to add her own flair to otherwise traditional dishes.
His motivation is what inspired this recipe for fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes with sweet, tangy blueberry crème fraîche. Greer's creation became a staple at Hussle's studio, where he would spend long nights making chart-topping and Grammy-nominated hits.
First, Greer shares her secret for the blueberry topping—and it couldn't be easier. All you need to do is combine cream cheese, crème fraîche, vanilla, and frozen blueberries. The frozen fruit incorporates more of the natural fruit juices and is more convenient. Another added perk: it tints the topping with a delicate lilac color.
To add some decorative flair, Greer uses a piping bag for the blueberry crème fraîche. And for all of us who don't have piping bags laying around, she lets us in on an ingenious hack. Simply place an opened zip-top bag in a tall glass, fill the bag with your topping, push it towards one corner, and snip the bag with a pair of scissors.
The method is similar to that of traditional buttermilk pancakes, but with a few extra special ingredients. Once she combines the dry ingredients in a bowl, she zests a whole lemon directly into the mixture. This process allows any of the fruit's fragrant oils to fall into the bowl so your finished pancakes have a bright aroma.
For extra richness, Greer adds ricotta cheese to the buttermilk and melted butter. The ricotta amplifies the light, fluffy texture and also incorporates more flavor into the batter. Lastly, once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, Greer adds lemon juice at the last minute. The acidity boosts the lemon flavor and interacts with the baking soda in the batter to help the pancakes puff up while cooking.
Another secret to make these pancakes extra special? Butter and olive oil. The two sources of fat add great flavor while preventing the exterior of the pancakes from burning. Once your pancakes are golden brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside, stack them on a plate and top them with your blueberry crème fraîche and a mandatory drizzle of maple syrup.
Nipsey Hussle loved just about anything Greer made for him. He would regularly tell her "Just do you" and push her to experiment in the kitchen. One of her other creations, a spicy chicken stew with sweet potatoes and four types of peppers, left his nose watering and eyes running. Despite barely being able to speak over the intense spice, he still sung Greer's praises.
Make these pancakes in honor of Nipsey Hussle and his legacy by checking out the recipe here.
Previously on Celebrity Eats: Diddy's Former Personal Chef Makes His Favorite Chicken Biscuit Sandwich
Gabby Romero is Delish’s editorial assistant, where she writes stories about the latest TikTok trends, develops recipes, and answers any and all of your cooking-related questions. She loves eating spicy food, collecting cookbooks, and adding a mountain of Parmesan to any dish she can.
