Blini from Russia

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• ¼ liter of lukewarm water (approx. 45 degrees)
• ½ pack of yeast (dry yeast)
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 75 g buckwheat flour
• 300 g flour (wheat flour)
• ½ liter of milk, lukewarm (approx. 45 degrees)
• 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 250 g butter, melted, clarified, cooled
• ½ liter sour cream
• 3 egg whites

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 5 hours; Total time approx. 5 hours 45 minutes

Preparation time approx. 6 hours, must be baked and eaten immediately

Pour the lukewarm water into a small bowl and sprinkle in the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let it stand for 2-3 minutes, then stir to completely dissolve the yeast. Place in a warm, draft-free place (with the oven off) for 8 to 10 minutes, until the solution has doubled in size. Put 40g buckwheat flour and 300g wheat flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add 1/4 liter of lukewarm milk and the yeast solution. Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix the flour with the liquid, then beat vigorously until the dough is smooth. Loosely cover the bowl with a towel and return it to the warm, draft-free place for 3 hours. Stir the dough thoroughly and vigorously beat in the remaining 25g buckwheat flour. Cover with a towel and return the dough to the agreed location for 2 hours. Then stir again and gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 liter of milk, the 3 egg yolks, salt, sugar, 3 tablespoons of clarified butter, and 3 tablespoons of sour cream. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they form stiff white peaks when lifted from the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, carefully but thoroughly fold the stiff peaks into the batter, which is then left to rest for another 30 minutes, loosely covered with a cloth. Remove the bowl from the oven and preheat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius. Using a pastry brush, lightly grease the bottom of a 25-30 cm diameter pan with melted butter. Place the pan over high heat until a drop of water splashed into the pan immediately sizzles. Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan for each blini (you can cook 3 at once) and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then lightly brush the surface with butter. Turn the blini over and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden brown. Keep the blini warm in the oven. Fry the remaining blinis in the same way. Serve them hot, with the remaining butter and sour cream in bowls. Traditionally, the blinis are brushed with melted butter, topped with a heap of red caviar or a slice of smoked fish, and topped with a spoonful of sour cream. If serving with black caviar, the sour cream is omitted.