According to early East Slavic people, little round pancakes called blini in Russian were meant to resemble the sun. They were traditionally prepared at the end of winter, to mark the beginning of brighter days. It’s easy to see how this connection was made. These pillowy soft, golden rounds, often topped with shiny orbs of caviar or roe, can brighten even the darkest days of winter.
These pancakes are made with a yeasted dough. They are not to be confused with the thin crepe-like pancakes used for blintzes, which are also sometimes called blini, or blinchiki in Russian. In this batter, the yeast combined with whipped egg whites, make a light and airy pancake. Blini are also often made with buckwheat flour, which gives the pancakes a nutty earthiness but is not a required ingredient.
These are a perfect appetizer, but I see no objection to having them as a main course, or even as a breakfast pancake topped with sweet things. They are well-known friends of champagne and cocktails, and whether they feed two or twenty, they are inherently festive.
Blini
Makes 20-24 small pancakes
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 large eggs, separated
2 Tablespoons oil or melted butter
1½ cups all purpose flour (or use ⅔ cup buckwheat flour + ½ cup all purpose flour)
½ teaspoon salt
Directions:
To make the batter- Heat the milk until just warm (between 90°-110°F). Add sugar and yeast to the warm milk, let it activate for 5 minutes.
Separate the eggs, add the egg whites to a medium bowl and whisk until thickened and stiff peaks form. Set aside.
To a large bowl add the 2 egg yolks, oil/butter, and the milk + yeast mixture.
Sift the flour and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk and milk mixture. Whisk together until smooth, about 30-60 seconds.
Gently fold in the whipped egg whites until just combined; be careful not to overmix so as to retain the lightness from the whipped egg whites.
Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and place in a warm non-drafty place in the kitchen. Allow the mixture to rise for 45-60 minutes, or until bubbly and thickened.
To make the blini- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, add a little oil or butter to the pan; I like to brush a thin amount of oil or melted butter onto the pan between each batch.
For appetizer-sized blinis, add a heaping tablespoon of batter to the pan for each blini. For a more standard-sized pancake, use ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Once bubbles form on the top of the pancake, flip it and cook the other side for 20-30 more seconds. Transfer to a plate or sheet tray as you continue to work in batches. Cook the pancakes over medium heat, and if your blinis are browning too fast, reduce the heat as needed.
To serve- Blinis can be served warm or at room temperature with your favorite toppings, such as lox and scrambled eggs, or salmon roe and creme fraiche, and topped with fresh dill or parsley.