Blini with smoked salmon

Name: Blini with smoked salmon
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 35 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp warm water; 1/2 tsp dry yeast ((Note 1 re: instant yeast)); 3/4 tsp white sugar; 1/3 cup plain flour ((all-purpose flour)); 1/3 cup buckwheat flour ((Note 2)); 1/8 tsp cooking/kosher salt; 1/3 cup milk (, full-fat, warm); 30 g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter (, melted and cooled); 1 large egg (at room temperature, lightly beaten (Note 3)); Canola spray (, for cooking); 125 g / 4 oz cream cheese (, softened); 3/4 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream) ((Note 4)); 2 tsp fresh dill (, finely chopped (sub chives, parsley)); 1 tsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar); 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt; 1 pinch white pepper ((sub black pepper)); 300 g / 10 oz smoked salmon (or trout) slices ((Note 5)); Extra fresh dill (, for garnish)

Recipe video above. Blini isn't blini unless it's made with yeast and buckwheat flour which adds a lovely nutty flavour to these mini pancakes! But if you are desperate and don't have yeast, see Note 8 for how to make blini without yeast. :)Top with smoked salmon and dill crème fraîch...

⏱️ 40 min 🔪 Prep: 20 min 🔥 Cook: 20 min 📊 Medium 👁️ 5 views

👨‍🍳 Start Cooking

Foto: RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

35 servings

3 tbsp warm water
1/2 tsp dry yeast ((Note 1 re: instant yeast))
3/4 tsp white sugar
1/3 cup plain flour ((all-purpose flour))
1/3 cup buckwheat flour ((Note 2))
1/8 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/3 cup milk (, full-fat, warm)
30 g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter (, melted and cooled)
1 large egg (at room temperature, lightly beaten (Note 3))
Canola spray (, for cooking)
125 g / 4 oz cream cheese (, softened)
3/4 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream) ((Note 4))
2 tsp fresh dill (, finely chopped (sub chives, parsley))
1 tsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1 pinch white pepper ((sub black pepper))
300 g / 10 oz smoked salmon (or trout) slices ((Note 5))
Extra fresh dill (, for garnish)

Steps

Foamy yeast 10 min - Warm a small bowl by running under warm water, then wipe dry. (Note 6). Mix the warm water, yeast and 1/4 tsp of the sugar in the bowl until yeast is mostly dissolved (some small floating lumps ok). Cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes until the surface is foamy.
Mix dry - With a wooden spoon, mix both flours, salt and the rest of the sugar in a separate medium bowl.
Add wet - Stir in milk, butter, egg and all the foamy yeast mixture. Mix well until incorporated. It will be runny like pancake batter.
Rise 1 1/2 hours - Cover with cling wrap and set in another larger bowl filled with 3cm/1" of warm water (to create a cosy, warm environment for batter rising). Let the batter rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until it doubles in volume and has bubbles breaking the surface.
Piping bag - Stir batter before using. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with 4mm (1/6") round piping tip (or snip a 6 mm / 1/4" hole in the end). Tie off the piping bag end with a rubber band (loosely, as batter keeps expanding).
Spray pan with oil - Place a large non stick pan over medium high heat. Once hot, remove pan from stove, spray lightly with oil then return to stove (⚠️Note 7)
Cook - Pipe 2.5cm / 1" rounds that spread to 4cm / 1.7" in the pan. Cook the first side 45 seconds to 1 minute or until it has golden spots in the middle and has the signature gold Blini "ring" around it. Flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds.
Cool - Transfer to a cooling rack. Wipe pan briefly with a paper towel, spray with oil and heat again. Continue cooking blinis, taking care to keep the pan at the right temperature.
Cool blini before assembling.
Dill crème fraîche - Mix ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until required.
Smoked salmon - Cut into 4 x 5 cm pieces (1.5 x 2")
Assemble - Spread 3/4 teaspoon of dill crème fraîche on a blini. Coil on a piece of salmon, top with dill. Transfer to a larger platter. Use lemon wedges and extra dill as platter garnishes, if desired. Serve with bubbles and wine!