Blini – The Russian Pancakes

Blini are thin pancakes made of yeast dough. They are the main component of Russian board at Shrovetide, served as a symbol of Sun and Spring. Blini are also popular throughout a year, being served with different fillings and topped with sour cream or butter. The Russian word for blini is блины and alternative spellings include blintzes, bliny and blinchiki. When talking about a single pancake the singular form блин is used – blin, blintz, or blintze. Below is the recipe for cooking delicious Russian blini.

Ingredients

3 cups wheat flour
3.5 cups milk
3 eggs
0.5 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fast-acting dry yeast
0.5 lbs. butter
sour cream

Preparation

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1 cup of warm milk.

2. Add another 2.5 cup of milk.

3. Add salt, eggs, butter, 3 cups of flour and mix until the mixture is smooth.

4. Cover with a cloth and set aside in a warm place.

5. When the batter becomes bubbly, begin to bake blini on a pre-heated pan. Try not to disturb the batter as you bake blini.

6. Spread the blini with melted butter.

Tips for Serving Blini

1. Serve the blini hot, topped with a spoonful of sour cream.

2. You may also serve the blini with red or black caviar instead of sour cream.

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