Blini Pancakes

Method13 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Whisk all the buckwheat flour (½ cup), all-purpose flour (⅔ cup), salt (1/2 tsp) and baking yeast (1 tsp) together in a large bowl. Use buckwheat flour rather than whole groats.

   Uses ½ cup buckwheat flour, not whole buckwheat groats · ⅔ cup all-purpose flour · 1/2 tsp Salt · 1 tsp Yeast

2. 2

   Step 2: Warm the milk (1 cup) gently until warm rather than hot. Pour all of it into a well in the dry mixture and whisk to make a smooth batter.

   Uses All the mixed dry ingredients · 1 cup milk, warmed gently before mixing

3. 3

   Step 3: Cover and let the batter rise in a warm place for about one hour, until doubled.

   Rise batter · 60 minUses All the initial batter

4. 4

   Step 4: Melt the measured two tablespoons butter and let it cool slightly. Separate the single egg (1), keeping its yolk and white in different bowls.

   Uses 2 tbsp butter, melted into batter in steps 4–5 · 1 egg, separated in step 4

5. 5

   Step 5: Stir all the measured melted butter and the separated yolk into the risen batter.

   Uses All the risen batter · All the measured melted butter · The one separated yolk

6. 6

   Step 6: In its separate clean bowl, whisk the held egg white until stiff peaks form, stopping before it becomes dry.

   Uses The one separated white

7. 7

   Step 7: Fold all the whisked egg white gently into the enriched batter to retain its air.

   Uses All the enriched batter · All the whisked white

8. 8

   Step 8: Cover the complete batter and let it rest for twenty minutes.

   Rest batter · 20 minUses All the folded batter

9. 9

   Step 9: Set out a large non-stick skillet, a turning utensil and a plate with a clean kitchen towel for the finished blini.

10. 10

    Step 10: Heat a little of the additional pan butter in the non-stick skillet over medium heat.

    Uses Some of the additional frying butter

11. 11

    Step 11: Drop quarter-sized dollops of the rested batter into the buttered pan without crowding. Cook the first batch for about one minute until bubbles form on the surface.

    First side of each blini batch · 1 minUses The heated pan with frying butter · Small dollops from the rested batter for the first pan batch

12. 12

    Step 12: Turn the blini and cook for about thirty seconds more until fully cooked on both sides.

    Second side of each blini batch · 1 minUses The first-side-cooked batch

13. 13

    Step 13: Move the fully cooked blini to the plate and cover with the clean towel to keep warm. Add more of the additional frying butter as needed and repeat the small-dollop, one-minute first side and thirty-second second side method until all the remaining batter is fully cooked. Serve warm.

    Uses The finished first batch · All the remaining batter · Further additional pan butter as needed