russianblinibuckwheatcaviarclassicappetizerpan-fried

Blini s Ikroi

Name: Blini s Ikroi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Russian
Ingredients: 80 g buckwheat flour; 40 g plain flour; 2 g fine salt; 4 g baking powder; 180 ml milk; 1 large egg; 20 g unsalted butter, melted; 10 g unsalted butter; 80 g sour cream; 50 g red caviar; 4 g fresh dill, finely chopped; 2 wedges lemon wedges

These small buckwheat blini are tender, lightly nutty, and delicately buttery, with crisp edges and soft centres. Finished with cool sour cream, briny red caviar, and a touch of dill, they make an elegant classic appetiser with striking contrast in flavour and texture.

30 min

2 servings

419 kcal

Russian

Ingredients

Bliny batter

80 gbuckwheat flour
40 gplain flour
2 gfine salt
4 gbaking powder
180 mlmilk
1 largeegg
20 gunsalted butter, melted

For the pan

10 gunsalted butter

For serving

80 gsour cream
50 gred caviar
4 gfresh dill, finely chopped
2 wedgeslemon wedges

Instructions

1
Prepare the batter: in a bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, plain flour, fine salt, and baking powder so the leavening is evenly distributed. In a second bowl, whisk the milk, egg, and melted butter until smooth, then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just until no dry pockets remain. The batter should be pourable but slightly thicker than crêpe batter.
2
Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while you heat a heavy non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan over medium heat. This short rest hydrates the buckwheat flour and helps the blini cook more evenly.
3
Lightly butter the hot pan with a little of the butter for the pan. Spoon in small rounds of batter, about 1 tablespoon each, leaving space between them. Cook in batches for 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges look set and small bubbles appear on the surface.
4
Flip the blini and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more, until lightly golden and springy. Adjust the heat as needed: buckwheat browns quickly, so medium rather than high heat keeps them tender. Transfer to a warm plate and repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as needed.
5
To serve, arrange the warm blini on plates or a serving platter. Top each with a small spoonful of sour cream and a little red caviar. Finish with chopped dill and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

Nutrition per serving

419 kcal

Calories

17g

Protein

33g

Carbs

24g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For the best texture, do not overmix the batter; a few tiny lumps are fine.
•If you prefer a more traditional yeasted version, the flavour will be deeper but the total time will exceed 30 minutes.
•Serve with chilled vodka or strong black tea for a classic accompaniment.
•Use a small spoon to portion the caviar so the blini stay balanced and elegant.

Background

Blini have been a beloved part of Russian cookery for centuries and are especially associated with festive tables and Maslenitsa, the pre-Lenten butter week. Buckwheat blini are one of the classic old styles, valued for their earthy flavour, and serving them with sour cream and red caviar became a luxurious staple of celebratory meals.

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