Buckwheat Blinis with Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche and Caviar

This recipe for blinis with smoked salmon, crème fraîche and caviar has everything it takes to become the star appetiser of any celebration and is perfect for serving on your Christmas table. It’s easy to prepare, visually stunning, and I assure you the blinis are delicious. Plus, by making the buckwheat blini batter yourself, you’ll find them very easy to digest.

Although you can buy blinis at any supermarket, the result is always better when homemade. The batter takes very little time to prepare and you can make it ahead of time. The same goes for the cream you’ll serve them with. All you’ll need to do is cook the blinis – and with the Le Creuset non-stick crêpe pan it’s a breeze, as it heats beautifully and nothing sticks thanks to its exceptional non-stick coating!

Choose your prettiest tray to present them on, and success is guaranteed. With these buckwheat blinis with smoked salmon, crème fraîche and caviar, you’re sure to impress!

Ingredients

For the blini batter

• 240 ml milk
• Finely grated zest of half a lemon
• 15 ml lemon juice
• 1 egg white (room temperature)
• 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
• 30 g melted butter, cooled
• 60 g plain wheat flour
• 60 g buckwheat flour
• 20 g sugar
• 6 g baking powder
• 1 g salt

For the cream and assembly

• 240 g crème fraîche (soured cream)
• 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
• 10 g fresh dill, chopped
• 10 g fresh chives, chopped
• 5 g poppy seeds
• Finely grated zest of half a lemon (plus more to garnish)
• 10 ml lemon juice
• Smoked salmon in small slices, to taste
• Caviar or fish roe, to taste
• Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish

Preparation

Preparing the blinis

1. In a bowl, mix the milk with the lemon juice and zest, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the egg yolk and melted butter, and mix well to combine.
3. In a larger bowl, combine both flours with the baking powder, salt and sugar.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix until fully incorporated.
5. Whisk the egg white until soft peaks form, then gently fold it into the batter.
6. Heat your Le Creuset non-stick crêpe pan over medium heat and lightly grease with butter.
7. Once hot, spoon small amounts of batter onto the pan – about 15–20 g per blini. Use a ladle or measuring spoons.
8. Cook until small bubbles appear, about 1–2 minutes.
9. Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden. 
10. Keep the blinis warm until ready to serve.

Preparing the cream and assembling the blinis

1. Mix the crème fraîche with the shallot, dill, chives, poppy seeds, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add salt if needed.
2. Spoon or pipe the cream over the blinis.
3. Top with smoked salmon slices and a bit of caviar.
4. Garnish with dill sprigs and lemon zest or lemon slices.