BUCKWHEAT BLINI WITH CAVIAR

Buckwheat Blini With Caviar image

The holidays present a number of opportunities to splurge, and New Year's Eve is the ultimate night for it. Though it may seem a cliché, the classic combination of blini and caviar is the perfect example - indulgent, elegant and delectable to the extreme. If you are hosting a small crowd for drinks (preferably Champagne or vodka with these), it's all you need to serve, though it also can be a sit-down first course. Preparation is simple: the blini are topped with a dab of crème fraîche, a spoonful of caviar and a drizzle of butter.

Provided by David Tanis

Time 3h15m

Yield About 60 3-inch blini, 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 package dry active yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups slightly warm milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 eggs, separated
6 ounces crème fraîche
1/4 pound (1 stick) melted butter, kept warm
At least 125 grams caviar or trout roe
2 tablespoons finely cut chives

Steps:

In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup milk. Stir in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Combine remaining all-purpose flour, the buckwheat flour and salt. Add 2 cups milk to the yeast mixture and gradually whisk in flour-salt mixture until you have a smooth, thick batter. Whisk in melted butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature and let batter slowly double in size, about 2 to 3 hours. (The batter may remain at room temperature even longer if necessary.) You may also mix batter and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.
When you are ready to cook blini, stir down batter, which will have become quite frothy. Beat egg yolks and whisk into batter. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
Spoon batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle, using a large soup spoon to make blini that are 3 inches in diameter. Cook for about 2 minutes, until bottom is well browned. Flip and cook 1 minute more. (Wait until surface is covered in bubbles before flipping.) Keep warm in a low oven. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche, a drizzle of butter, a generous spoonful of caviar and a sprinkling of chives.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 267, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 20 grams, Fat 17 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 164 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams