Textual Chef Textual Chef

Blini with Caviar

Classic Russian yeast pancakes served warm with silky creme fraiche and rich caviar. Perfect for celebration brunches or elegant appetizers.

40 minMediumServes 4280 cal/serving

RussianAppetizerStovetopPescatarianHalal-friendlyNut-FreeSoy-FreeShellfish-FreeSesame-FreeNightshade-FreePork-FreeAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup creme fraiche
  • 2 oz caviar, chilled
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. 1

    Whisk 1 cup warmed whole milk, 1 tsp active dry yeast, and 1/2 tsp granulated sugar in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

  2. 2

    Stir in 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour, 1 separated egg yolk, and 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter to form a smooth batter, then let rise for 40 minutes.

  3. 3

    Beat the egg white until stiff peaks form and gently fold into the batter.

  4. 4

    Heat a greased skillet over medium heat, drop small spoonfuls of batter, and cook for 2 minutes per side until golden.

  5. 5

    Top each warm pancake with 1/2 cup creme fraiche, 2 oz chilled caviar, and 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Questions

What if the yeast does not foam in Blini with Caviar?

Step 1 reads: "Whisk 1 cup warmed whole milk, 1 tsp active dry yeast, and 1/2 tsp granulated sugar in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy." Then it is dead or the liquid was too hot. Step 1 is the test: no foam after ten minutes means start again with fresh yeast and liquid that feels barely warm, about 105 F.

What can I use instead of creme fraiche in Blini with Caviar?

The entry for Blini with Caviar calls for 1/2 cup creme fraiche. In its place: Sour cream works cold. In a hot sauce, stir it in off the heat, because it splits where creme fraiche would not.

Can I make Blini with Caviar dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Blini with Caviar is 1 cup whole milk, warmed, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, 1/2 cup creme fraiche. Swap the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk; the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the sour cream for thick coconut yogurt with a squeeze of lemon. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

How many calories are in Blini with Caviar?

One serving (the recipe makes 4) is about 280 calories, with 9 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate and 17 g fat, plus 1 g fiber and 450 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

Which part of Blini with Caviar can be done ahead?

Everything up to step 2. Step 2 is a built-in pause of 40 minutes: "Stir in 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour, 1 separated egg yolk, and 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter to form a smooth batter, then let rise for 40 minutes." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 3 when you are ready to finish.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,530 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Russian entries

All Russian recipes · All Appetizer recipes