Blini with Smoked Salmon, Caviar & Crème Fraiche
Yield
About 20 blini
RECIPE Ingredients
- 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 cups warm milk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided use
- 2-1/4 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
- 2 large eggs, separated, yolks beaten
- 4 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
- Clarified butter or neutral high heat oil, for cooking
- Crème Fraȋche
- Smoked Atlantic Salmon
- Farm-Raised Ossetra Caviar Malossol
Recipe notes
Layer homemade, buttery blini with smoked salmon, a dollop of crème fraȋche, and our sustainable, farm-raised French caviar for an easy and elegant canape.
RECIPE Preparation
- Make the sponge: In a large bowl, stir together yeast, warm water, and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in ½ cup of flour until smooth. Place the sponge, covered, in a warm place until bubbly and almost doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Make the batter: Stir the warm milk, 4 tablespoons butter, 2 ¼ cups flour, egg yolks, sugar, and salt into the sponge. Whisk the batter until completely smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set to rise until bubbly and doubled in bulk, about 1 ½ hours. Stir the batter well, then allow to rise one more time in a warm place, covered, about 45 minutes. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter. Allow the batter to rest, about 10 minutes.
- Heat a heavy bottom pan over medium flame. Lightly and evenly grease the pan with clarified butter or oil. Using a tablespoon measure, carefully spoon each blini the pan, being careful not to crowd them. When they start to bubble and the surface looks slightly dry, flip them over and cook, about 15 seconds more. Remove them to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the batter, re-greasing the pan in between batches, until all the blini are done.
- To serve, top each blini with a slice of smoked salmon, a small dollop of crème fraiche, and crown with a scoop of caviar. Serve immediately.
