Serves 32
90 min
Cocktail Blinis
Recipe GLPR101beda7161a48
Elegant bite-sized Russian pancakes made with a blend of wheat and buckwheat flour, with airy, fluffy centers. These savory blinis are topped with contrasting flavors: a vibrant beetroot and cream cheese purée crowned with soft-boiled quail eggs, and a smoked salmon pâté finished with cucumber ribbons and caviar. Perfect for sophisticated appetizers or cocktail hour.
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Ingredients
200 ml milk
½ teaspoon golden caster sugar
25 g butter, plus extra for frying
100 g strong white flour
75 g buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon fast-action dried yeast
2 large eggs, separated
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam lightly, then remove from the heat. Stir the sugar and 25 g of butter into the warm milk, swirling gently until the butter completely melts and dissolves.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the strong white flour, buckwheat flour, fast-action yeast, and salt. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
Pour the warm milk mixture and the two egg yolks into the well. Using a whisk, gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the liquid, mixing until you have a smooth, lump-free batter.
Cover the bowl with cling film and let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour. The surface should become bubbly as the yeast ferments.
When ready to cook, place the two egg whites into a clean bowl and whisk until they form soft peaks.
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the fermented batter, working carefully to preserve as much air and volume as possible.
Heat a knob of butter with a light drizzle of oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter is foaming. Working in batches, spoon tablespoon-sized portions of batter into the pan, spacing them so they do not touch. Cook until bubbles break on the surface and the undersides are golden brown, about 2–3 minutes.
Flip each blini carefully and cook the second side for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer the cooked blinis to a wire cooling rack to prevent them from becoming soggy. Continue cooking the remaining batter in the same manner, wiping out and re-buttering the pan as needed.
Once all blinis are cooled and ready to serve, arrange them on a platter. Top half of them with the prepared beetroot and cream cheese purée, followed by a peeled and halved quail egg, a sprinkle of fresh cress, and a light seasoning of black pepper. Top the remaining blinis with the salmon pâté, arrange the cooled and dried cucumber ribbons on top, add a small spoonful of caviar, and serve immediately, preferably with sparkling wine.
