Light, yeasted Russian blini — buckwheat pancakes lifted with whisked egg white and fried into tender, lacy rounds, perfect for sweet or savoury toppings.
Blini are little Russian buckwheat pancakes — light, lacy and gently tangy from the yeasted batter. Traditionally topped with soured cream and smoked fish or caviar, they're a wonderfully elegant bite for entertaining, and surprisingly simple to make.
Prep 15 min
Cook 20 min
Total 110 min
Easy
- 1/2 cup Buckwheat
- 2/3 Cup Flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Yeast
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 tbs Butter
- 1 Seperated Egg
Tags:
PancakeVideo
Preparation
- In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt and yeast.
- Make a well in the centre, pour in the warm milk, and whisk until smooth.
- Cover and leave to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Stir the melted butter and egg yolk into the batter.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until stiff but not dry, then fold it into the batter.
- Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
- Heat butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drop in quarter-sized dollops of batter, without overcrowding, and cook for about 1 minute until bubbles form.
- Turn and cook for about 30 seconds more.
- Keep the finished blini warm under a clean towel, adding more butter to the pan and repeating with the remaining batter.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Let the yeasted batter rise fully so the blini come out light and airy.
- Folding in the whisked egg white at the end gives them their delicate, fluffy lift.
- Keep them small and don't crowd the pan so they cook evenly.
- Stack the cooked blini under a clean towel to stay warm and soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Classics are soured cream with smoked salmon, caviar or pickled herring, but they're lovely with sweet toppings too.
Yes — they reheat well, or freeze them in stacks and warm through before serving.
You can use all plain flour; you'll lose the distinctive nutty, tangy character but they'll still be delicious.
