Blini Recipe
Russian Blini – these bite-sized pancakes make perfect appetizers! Top with smoked salmon or caviar to add a touch of luxury to your dinner or festive table. Follow my authentic blini recipe and never go back to store bought again!
Servings: 60 blini pancakes
Calories: 32kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the blini
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- ½ cup (120ml) water lukewarm
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
- ¾ cup (180ml) cream pouring / single
- 1 egg separated
- 1 ⅓ cups + 2 tbsp (200g) flour all purpose / plain
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp yeast rapid rise
- ½ tsp salt
- vegetable oil as needed
To serve
- caviar
- smoked salmon
- sour cream
- chopped fresh chives
- quail eggs (see notes)
Instructions
Make the batter
- Combine melted butter, whole milk, cream, warm water and egg yolk in a large bowl.2 tbsp unsalted butter, ½ cup (120ml) water, ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, ¾ cup (180ml) cream , 1 egg separated
- Sift flour, yeast and sugar over the liquid ingredients and then use a balloon whisk to slowly combine.1 ⅓ cups + 2 tbsp (200g) flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp yeast
- Cover the bowl loosely with a cloth or plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours. The batter will have risen slightly and have bubbles over the surface after this time.
- Whisk the egg white and salt with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.½ tsp salt
- Gently fold into the batter, in batches, trying not to deflate the egg whites.
Cook the blini
- Heat a non-stick frying pan and wipe with a little flavourless oil. Add 1 tbsp of batter per pancake and cook over medium-low heat until bubbles form on top and the surface appears dry.vegetable oil
- Flip over and cook on the other side until nicely coloured, this should only take a minute or so. Set aside while you use up the remaining batter.
To serve
- Add a small dollop of sour cream on each little pancake and carefully top with a little caviar, about 1/4 of a teaspoon or a small piece of smoked salmon. Sprinkle with finely chopped chives and serve immediately. Acaviar, smoked salmon, sour cream, chopped fresh chives, quail eggs (see notes)
Video
Notes
To make oven-poached quail eggs
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300° F). Spray a mini cupcake tin with cooking spray. Carefully crack one quail egg into each hole** and top with a little water. Bake for about 5 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Leave to cool in the muffin tin for 3-4 minutes and then carefully scoop out using a teaspoon. Best used immediately, otherwise the yolks will eventually start to set in the residual heat.
** Quail eggs have quite a hard shell! You might need to break them into a little bowl first then transfer to the tin.
Nutrition
Calories: 32kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 15mg | Vitamin A: 65IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.2mg
