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Yeasted Blini Recipe

A batch of yeasted blini with some folded in four on a marble board.
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5 from 11 reviews

Yeasted blini are traditional Russian pancakes leavened with yeast, giving them a lacy, airy texture and a lightly tangy taste. Serve these easy yeast blinis sweet with jam or honey, or savory with smoked salmon and red or black caviar.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 2/3 cups + 1 teaspoon (400 ml) milk 
  • 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (175 ml) water 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon SAF instant yeast 
  • 1 2/3 cups + 2 tablespoons (225 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus more for cooking
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.

Instructions

  1. To make the blini batter, pour milk and water into a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat to 113°F (45°C) (use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature). Take off the heat and transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Add the baking yeast, salt, and sugar; mix with a hand whisk, then rest for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast. Sift the flour, add it to the main mixture, and mix. Beat the egg for an omelet; add it to the mixture. Pour in the vanilla extract and oil, then combine. Cover the bowl with plastic film and let it rest in a warm, draft-free place for 30 to 45 minutes. The batter will approximately double.
  2. To cook blini, gently mix the batter with a hand whisk. Heat a crepe pan over medium heat and brush it with oil using a silicone brush. Pour one ladle of batter into the pan, swirl to coat the entire skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom becomes golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the blini and cook on the second side for about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer blini to a warm plate. Repeat until the batter is used up, brushing the skillet before adding each batch.

Notes

  1. Check the temperature of liquids with a cooking thermometer. If you don't have one, the milk-and-water mixture should be warm to the touch.
  2. Make sure the blini batter is smooth before letting it rest. If there are flour lumps in the batter, pass the batter through a fine-mesh sieve to remove them.
  3. To speed up the yeast proofing, place the bowl with the batter, covered with plastic wrap or a tea towel, in the oven with the light on (heat off).  
  4. Stir the blini batter throughout cooking so the flour is evenly distributed.
  5. Serve blinis warm as soon as they are cooked, or keep them covered with a tea towel in the warm oven until ready.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/blini-by-alain-passard/