Recipes for the Web

Barrington Software Incorporated

Blini with Caviar and Crème Fraîche

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup buckwheat flour (use more whole wheat flour if buckwheat is unavailable)

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1 cup sugar

1 cup warm water

1 cup milk

3 eggs, separated

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter, melted

2 Tbs. vegetable oil, or more as needed

4 to 6 oz. caviar, such as beluga, ossecra or sevrugà

1 pint crème fraîche

In a small bowl, make a sponge by combining the whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour, 1 cup of the

all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar and warm water; stir until mixture is blended. Cover tightly with

plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk by cooking it to just under a boil; cool to

room temperature and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and salt until light in texture and color, then

gradually whisk in the melted butter until smooth. Stir in the scalded milk, then the remaining 1

cup of all-purpose flour until smooth. Fold the sponge into the batter until the mixture is smooth.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise, 30 to 40 minutes.

In a large copper or other mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk until stiff. (When the whisk

is lifted out of the bowl and inverted, the whites on the whisk should remain upright, with just a

slight bend at the tip.) Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, and let the mixture stand 10 to 12

minutes.

In a nonstick fry pan or griddle over medium heat, warm just enough oil to coat the bottom of the

pan. Cook 3 to 5 blini at a time; do not crowd the pan. (1 Tbs. batter will make a 3-inch-round

blini.) Makes 50 to 60 blini.

Fill a large serving bowl with chipped ice, and set the tin of caviar and a dish of crème fraîche on

top; serve blini alongside. Makes 12 to 16.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.