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Blinis

Introduction & method

These are very popular as a vehicle for smoked salmon and other toppings around Christmas-time. They originate in Russia and were originally made using buckwheat. You can make them ahead of time and add toppings as required.

Blinis Recipe

Make the Batter


In a small saucepan, heat the milk until steam comes off it, but don't let it boil. Remove from heat, stir in the yeast, egg yolks and sour cream. Whisk until the yolks are properly mixed in. In a bowl mix together the flours, salt and caraway seeds. Add the pan contents to the bowl, stir well, cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour. You might see a bit of bubbling, but don't worry if you don't.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold them gently into the bowl. The idea is to not knock the air out of the egg whites. Cover and leave for 1-2 hours, or overnight if you wish.

Cook the Blinis


Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan. Use a dessert spoon (typically holds about 2 teaspoons) to drop batter into the pan. Just do one at first to get the temperature right. The batter should turn golden after about 2 minutes. Turn it over and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Once you're happy with the pan temperature, cook as many as you can at one time, without crowding the pan.

Serve the Blinis


You can serve blinis warm or cool, and once you've cooked them they'll keep in an airtight container for a few days. The toppings - the only limit is your imagination, but a very common one is smoked salmon with soured cream or crème fraîche and a few chopped chives. Others include mustard, bacon and tomato, pâté and pickles, soft cheese and ham.

 



The video above is from the Keef Cooks YouTube channel. Click here to see the video recipe of Blinis on YouTube.

 
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Ingredients & Info


BATTER
 75 grams strong white bread flour
 75 grams plain (all-purpose) flour
 150 ml milk
 100 ml soured cream
 2 separated eggs
 1 tsp active dried yeast
 half a tsp active dried yeast
 a pinch of salt
TOPPING
  smoked salmon and soured cream
  bacon and tomato
  whatever you like, really

PLUS

Butter for frying the blinis.


UNITS:
Metric
US Customary/Imperial

Makes 25 -30
Prep time: 10 minutes.
Fermenting time: 3 hours.
Cooking time: 4 minutes.
Total time: 3 hours 14 minutes.