Chef-tested recipe
Soft yeasted buckwheat blini topped with smoked salmon and cool dill crème fraîche.
Small yeasted blini are tender, lightly nutty pancakes designed for savoury toppings. Buckwheat gives them character while wheat flour keeps the crumb soft enough to fold around a bite of smoked salmon.
Cook them gently and keep the toppings restrained. A little dill crème fraîche brings acidity and moisture without covering the flavour of the fish.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 20 servings
- Prep Time
- 25 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Proofing Time
- 1 hour
- Total Time
- 1 hour 50 minutes
- Cuisine
- Eastern European
- Course
- Canapé
- Best Served With
- Serve with sparkling wine, chilled vodka or a cucumber and dill cooler. They fit naturally on a brunch or cocktail platter.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Mixing bowlspaid link
- Whiskpaid link
- Non-stick frying panpaid link
- Tablespoon measurepaid link
- Cooling rackpaid link
Ingredients
For the blini
- 150 ml whole milk
- 5 g instant yeastpaid link
- 5 g caster sugarpaid link
- 80 g plain flourpaid link
- 60 g buckwheat flourpaid link
- 3 g fine saltpaid link
- 1 large egg, separated, about 55 g
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 40 ml water, as needed
- 20 ml neutral oil, for cooking Shop paid link
For the topping
- 180 g crème fraîche
- 12 g fresh dill, finely chopped, plus small sprigs
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 1 g finely grated lemon zest
- 2 g fine saltpaid link
- 1 g black pepper
- 250 g sliced smoked salmon
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Preparation Overview
Wake the yeast in lukewarm milk, then make a loose batter and let it rise until aerated. Fold in beaten egg white just before cooking for a soft texture. Cool the blini completely before adding the chilled toppings.
Method
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Warm the milk to about 35°C. Stir in the yeast and sugar and leave for 5 minutes until slightly foamy.
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Whisk together the plain flour, buckwheat flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolk and melted butter; whisk until smooth. Add enough water to make a thick dropping batter.
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Cover and proof in a warm place for 1 hour, until the batter is bubbly and slightly expanded.
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Whisk the egg white to soft peaks and fold it gently into the batter.
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Heat a lightly oiled non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter per blini and cook for about 1 minute, until bubbles appear. Turn and cook for another 30 to 45 seconds. Cool on a rack.
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Mix the crème fraîche with chopped dill, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper.
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Top each cooled blini with a folded piece of smoked salmon, a small spoon of dill crème fraîche and a dill sprig. Serve with lemon.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Milk hotter than 45°C can damage the yeast. It should feel comfortably warm, not hot.
- Keep the blini small and cook over moderate heat so the centres set before the surfaces brown too far.
- Do not stack hot blini; trapped steam makes them damp.
Tips and Variations
- Make the blini a day ahead and warm them for 2 minutes at 160°C before cooling and topping.
- If buckwheat flour is unavailable, use all plain flour; the flavour will be milder.
- Add a few grains of trout roe for a festive finish, but it is optional.
Storage
Refrigerate plain cooked blini for up to 2 days, separated by baking paper. The dill crème fraîche keeps 1 day. Assemble no more than 30 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Value
Approximately 115 kcal, 6 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate and 7 g fat per topped blini.
Allergen Notes
Contains fish, milk, egg and gluten.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use baking powder instead of yeast?
You can make a quick pancake, but it will not have the same fermented flavour or classic yeasted texture.
Should blini be served hot?
They may be just warm or at room temperature. Cool them before topping so the crème fraîche and salmon stay fresh.
Can I freeze blini?
Yes. Freeze the plain pancakes for up to 1 month and thaw before gently reheating.
