Smoked Salmon Blinis

Smoked Salmon Blinis, the perfect party food for every party and celebration. Delicious homemade blinis topped with silky cream, smoked salmon, dill and a touch of lemon; I can't think of a better party food!

These smoked salmon blini canapés are nothing but utter perfection. Super easy to make, super quick, and so delicious, you can never go wrong with them. I for one absolutely love smoked salmon, so these bites are after my own heart.

Blinis are particularly popular at Christmas and New Year as finger food, and since salmon is a great choice during the festive season, I can't think of a better blini topping.

Jump to:

• What is a blini
• Ingredient notes
• Step-by-step photos and instructions
• Other smoked salmon recipes
• Smoked Salmon Blinis

What is a blini

Traditional blinis are Russian pancakes that look more like crêpes, rather than an American pancake.  However, these mini pancakes are often referred to in the UK as blinis, and are a very popular starter for the New Year party, most commonly paired with smoked salmon and cream.

There are so many toppings you can choose from, though, from soft cheese, avocado, cherry tomatoes, olives, pomegranate seeds, and so on. This is a very easy blini recipe, and, unlike the traditional pancake that uses baking powder, these blinis use yeast.

Fast-action dry yeast is the best, but make sure to always check that it's still active, but adding it to a warm liquid, be it water or milk, and leaving it to rise for at least 10 minutes. If the yeast does not become frothy, it's not active, and it's best not to use it, since it won't help the dough rise.

Ingredient notes

• plain flour - white bread flour also ok
• egg
• fast-action dry yeast
• creme fraiche - or double/heavy cream
• milk - full fat milk is the best
• a pinch of salt
• lemon juice - for extra flavour
• smoked salmon
• fresh dill - to garnish
• butter or oil to fry

Step-by-step photos and instructions

Unlike other yeast-based products, these blinis do not need proving, as the yeast will just help them become fluffy while frying in the pan.

• To make the blinis, separate the egg yolk from the egg white.
• In a bowl, beat the egg white until it forms stiff peaks and set aside.
• Warm up the milk (but not hot), add the yeast, and set aside for about 10 minutes, so that the yeast can be activated, this will become forthy.
• In a large bowl, add the flour, salt, egg yolk and milk with yeast, and mix well to get a dough.
• Gently fold in the egg whites and creme fraiche to get a smooth batter that has the consistency of a thicker pancake batter.
• Heat up a frying pan over a low heat, add a bit of oil or butter, then about one tablespoon of batter at a time, and cook for about a minute on each side, just the way you would cook a pancake.
• Repeat until you finish up the batter.
• To assemble, spread creme fraiche over each blini, top with smoked salmon, and drizzle a bit of lemon juice over.
• Garnish with fresh dill.

Other smoked salmon recipes

Smoked Salmon Pâté

Sandwich Cake Recipe

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