Blini

Thin, lacy pancakes made from a yeasted or buttermilk batter, eaten rolled or folded with butter, sour cream, jam, smoked fish or caviar. They are served for breakfast or as a snack.

Blini

50 блінкоў на талерцы 240 мм: Maksim L., CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Where it comes from

Blini are an old favorite of Russian cooking and are enjoyed across Eastern Europe. They are served with both sweet and savory toppings.

Explore the cuisine of Russia.

Recipe

Make Blini at home

Serves 4Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (125 g) flour
  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Butter for the pan
  • Sour cream, jam or smoked salmon to serve

How it's made

  1. Whisk eggs, milk, sugar and salt together, then whisk in the flour until smooth.
  2. Stir in the melted butter and water to make a thin batter. Rest 20 minutes.
  3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and brush with butter.
  4. Pour in a thin layer of batter, swirling to cover the base.
  5. Cook 1 minute until the edges lift, flip and cook 30 seconds.
  6. Stack and keep warm; serve with your choice of fillings.

Variations

  • Yeast blini, thicker and fluffier.
  • Buckwheat blini.
  • Sweet blini with cottage cheese.

Cook’s tip: Make the first pancake a test; adjust the batter with a little water if it is too thick.

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About this page

Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.

Photo credit
  • 50 блінкоў на талерцы 240 мм: Maksim L., CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)