Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Yeast Base
- 180 ml whole milk, warmed slightly
- 5 g active dry yeast
- 5 g granulated sugar
Dry Ingredients
- 60 g buckwheat flour
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 3 g kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs, separated, room temperature
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 20 g unsalted butter, for greasing the skillet
Accompaniments
- 120 g sour cream
- 50 g caviar, chilled
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Warm the whole milk to 38C/100F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the warm milk, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes until the mixture develops a foamy layer.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, and kosher salt until evenly distributed.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Whisk the yolks and melted butter into the bloomed yeast mixture. Pour this wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined into a smooth batter.
Cover the batter bowl tightly with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let it proof at room temperature for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in volume and appears highly aerated.
In a clean bowl using a whisk or electric hand mixer, whip the reserved egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped whites into the proofed batter using a spatula, maintaining as much air as possible.
Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly brush with butter. Drop tablespoon-sized rounds of batter into the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until bubbles form and pop on the surface, then flip and cook for another 1 minute until golden brown.
Transfer the warm blini to a serving platter. Top each pancake with a small dollop of sour cream followed by a neat scoop of chilled caviar.
Chef's Notes
- Buckwheat flour lacks gluten, which is why blending it with all-purpose flour is strictly necessary to give the pancakes structural integrity.
- Using clarified butter or ghee for greasing the skillet is highly recommended as it prevents the milk solids from burning during repeated batch cooking.
- Allowing the batter to proof develops complex yeast aromas that perfectly balance the metallic, briny pop of high-quality caviar.
- When whipping egg whites, ensure your bowl and beaters are immaculately clean and devoid of grease, or the whites will fail to gain volume.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store blini plain without toppings in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe bag.
Reheating: Wrap plain blini in aluminum foil and warm in a 150C oven for 5 to 10 minutes before adding fresh toppings.
