Блины со Сметаной — Blini with Sour Cream and Caviar

Russian Non Fasting Published April 21, 2026

Non-Fasting Recipe: This dish contains meat, dairy, or eggs and is intended for feast days and non-fasting periods.

Thin, lacy Russian pancakes — blini — are the foundation of the great Russian breakfast, and the
traditional vehicle for sour cream, melted butter, and, when circumstances permit, caviar. Completely
different from American pancakes: paper-thin, slightly elastic, and made with a yeasted batter.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (milk, eggs, butter, sour cream)

SERVINGS: 6 (makes about 24 blini)
TIME: 2 hours (includes yeast rise)

INGREDIENTS:
For the batter:
- 500 ml whole milk, lukewarm
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for cooking
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 g instant yeast

For serving:
- Sour cream
- Melted butter
- Smoked salmon or salmon roe (ikra)
- Chopped chives or dill
- Lemon wedges

METHOD:
1. Whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Whisk in flour, egg yolks, melted butter, and salt until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes until bubbly and nearly doubled.
3. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold into the risen batter — this is what gives blini their characteristic lacy holes.
4. Heat a 20 cm non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Brush with melted butter.
5. Pour a small ladle (about 60 ml) of batter into the centre, tilting the pan to spread it thinly. Cook 60-90 seconds until the top is set and holes appear throughout. Flip and cook 30 seconds more.
6. Stack cooked blini on a plate, brushing each with melted butter as you go to keep them tender.
7. To serve: top each blin with sour cream and a small spoonful of caviar, smoked salmon, or simply melted butter and chives. Fold or roll and eat with your hands.

NOTES:
- Russian blini are NOT fluffy. They are thin and lacy. A fluffy pancake means your pan was too cool or the batter too thick.
- The yeasted batter produces a faint tang and elasticity you cannot get from baking powder batter. Don't skip it.
- Blini are the centerpiece of Maslenitsa (Butter Week) — the final week before Great Lent when dairy is eaten freely but meat is already forbidden.
- Day-old blini can be stuffed with farmer's cheese, apples, or mushrooms, rolled, and pan-fried in butter for a second meal.

NUTRITION (per 3 blini with sour cream, approximate):
Calories: 380 | Protein: 12 g | Carbohydrates: 38 g | Fat: 20 g | Fibre: 1 g