Buckwheat Blini with Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche

These nutty buckwheat blini make the perfect brunch bites topped with salty smoked salmon, tangy creme fraiche, and fresh dill.

Over a decade ago, Vu’s sister took us to our first Michelin star restaurant, Gary Danko in San Francisco. Despite the fancy tasting menu, the most memorable part of the meal was their signature buckwheat blini. Blini are traditional Russian yeasted buckwheat pancakes. With Sunday brunch being our favorite part of the weekend, I decided to whip up some buckwheat blini using the recipe from the Perfect Start to Your Day cookbook by Tonia George. 

Tips for Making Blini

• Use instant yeast for this recipe. The blini batter requires an hour to proof.
• When working with yeast, it’s important to keep the temperature of the milk below 110℉ or the yeast will die.
• Always check the expiration date on your yeast package otherwise the yeast might be old and the batter won’t rise properly.
• Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent gluten formation which results in tough blini. It’s ok for the batter to be a little lumpy.
• Fold in the whipped egg white right before you cook the blini to keep them fluffy.
• The batter can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated overnight. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

How to Cook Blini

• Use a non-stick pan to cook the blinis.
• Blinis come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but I like the smaller ones with a diameter of two to two and a half inches.
• Use a spoon or small ice cream scoop to portion out about one to one half tablespoon of batter.
• Brush a thin layer of melted butter or vegetable on the skillet before you scoop out the batter.
• Cook on medium heat for about 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side until golden brown.
• Avoid overcrowding the pan. Only cook three to four blini at a time.
• Lay the cooked blini in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover the baking sheet with a kitchen towel to keep the blini from drying out.

What to Serve Blini With

Russians eat blini with a dollop of sour cream, topping it with smoked fish, herring or caviar. We like our blini with savory toppings like smoked salmon, creme fraiche, and dill. You can go fancy with caviar or go with an affordable alternative like salmon roe. Use drained yogurt, reduced fat sour cream, or cream cheese if you can’t find creme fraiche. For a sweet pairing with the buckwheat blinis, my balsamic cherry compote is a great option along with whipped mascarpone, creme fraiche, or strained yogurt.

I love the savory flavor of these nutty, fluffy, buckwheat blini with salty smoked salmon and tangy creme fraiche. They make the perfect brunch bites that will have you coming back for more!

For more brunch recipe ideas, you might like these recipes: strawberry mascarpone French toast, Dutch baby pancake, crepes with strawberries and mascarpone, salted caramel crepes with sauteed apples.