Blini
“As a hearty breakfast or a decadent dessert, pancakes are an easy-to-make crowd-pleaser.”
- 2 cups milk
- 1 sachet dried yeast
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 eggs, separated
- 50g butter
- extra butter for frying
These blini are delicious served with a knob of butter and some jam, or with plum or sour cherry compote. But best of all I think is when they are served with a little creme fraiche, dill and some smoked fish or fish roe.
Method
Warm 1/3 cup of the milk. Dissolve the yeast in the milk. Place in a warm spot without any draught, cover and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, combine the flour and salt and make a well in the centre. Warm the remaining milk and melt the butter. Gradually whisk the egg yolks and yeast into the flour then the milk and butter. Leave the batter covered in a warm place to rest for an hour.
Beat the egg whites until firm and gently fold into the batter. Stand for 10 minutes. Melt a knob of butter in a heavy-based or non-stick frying pan. When foaming, add a small ladle of batter and cook over a low heat until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side.
Continue until they are all cooked, keeping the blini warm and covered until ready to serve.
To serve
Blini can be pre-made and reheated in a warm oven, however, they lose their fluffiness a little.
Makes about 12
