Blinis

Appetizer, Appetizers & Snacks, Snack

Although Russian and not French, these have been adopted by the French as the perfect base for smoked salmon and caviar at fancy occasions. Tiny, fluffy pancakes that work for everything from Christmas nibbles to a lazy Sunday breakfast.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 4

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Ingredients  

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• 50 gr plain flour
• 50 gr buckwheat flour
• 2 egg
• 150 ml whole milk
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp fast-action yeast
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche
• 25 gr unsalted butter for cooking

Equipment

• mixing bowl
• whisk
• frying pan
• double spatula
• saucepan

Instructions

1. 1. Make the batter

   Sift both flours and the salt into a large bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and give it a quick stir.

   In a small saucepan, gently warm the milk and crème fraîche together, just until it's slightly warm to the touch, not hot. If it's too hot, you'll kill the yeast, which defeats the point.

   Whisk the egg yolks into the warm milk mixture, then pour the whole lot into the flour. Whisk until you've got a thick, smooth batter.
2. 2. First rise

   Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave it somewhere warmish for about an hour. If your kitchen's cold, stick the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with warm water, that'll do the trick.

   After an hour, the batter should look spongy and bubbly. That's the yeast doing its thing.
3. 3. Add the egg whites

   Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the batter, you want to keep as much air in there as possible.

   Cover again and leave for another hour. Yes, more waiting. Make yourself a cup of tea.
4. 4. Cook the blinis

   Melt the butter in a frying pan, then tip it into a cup. Use some scrunched-up kitchen paper to brush a thin layer of butter onto the pan before each blini.

   Keep the heat at medium. Add 1½ tablespoons of batter to the pan, one tablespoon first, then another half on top. It won't spread much, which is fine. You're aiming for blinis about 10cm across.

   Cook for 40 seconds, no longer, then flip and give it 30 seconds on the other side. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat, brushing the pan with butter each time.
5. 5. Keep warm or make ahead

   Once they're all cooked and cooled, wrap them in foil parcels (about 6 per parcel). When you're ready to serve, warm them in a low oven (140°C) for 10 minutes.

Notes

• Don’t skip the yeast. You could use baking powder instead, but you’ll lose the slightly tangy, fermented flavour that makes proper blinis special.
• Using buckwheat flour gives them that earthy, nutty taste. You can find it in most supermarkets or health food shops. Don’t use 100% buckwheat unless you really love that flavour, the mix with plain flour keeps them soft.
• Folding in whisked egg whites makes them light and fluffy rather than dense. Don’t skip this step.
• These are brilliant for parties because you can make them earlier in the day, then just warm them through before serving.
• They freeze well too. Layer them with baking paper, freeze in a container, and reheat from frozen in a low oven.

About this recipe

Blinis have been around in Russia for centuries, traditionally eaten during Maslenitsa (Butter Week), the pre-Lenten festival that marks the end of winter. They were originally made with just buckwheat flour, which was the main grain in northern Russia.

The French adopted them sometime in the 19th century and paired them with caviar and Champagne, turning them into a luxe canapé. These days you’ll find them at posh parties everywhere, though most people just buy the packets from the supermarket.

The difference between homemade and shop-bought is big. Homemade ones are softer, fluffier. Having that said, if you do want to try them before making them, you can get 16 mini cocktail blinis at Waitrose.

This version uses a mix of buckwheat and plain flour, which gives you the earthy buckwheat flavour without being too intense. The yeast makes them light and adds a subtle tanginess. The whisked egg whites keep them fluffy.

Classic Toppings

The traditional way to serve blinis:

• Smoked salmon with a dollop of cold crème fraîche and fresh dill
• Caviar (if you’re feeling flush) with sour cream
• Cream cheese with cucumber ribbons and lemon zest
• Beetroot and horseradish (blitz cooked beetroot with cream cheese, top with grated fresh horseradish)

For something less fancy, they’re also brilliant with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for breakfast.

Worth the two hours? If you’re making them for a proper occasion, absolutely.