These sourdough sprout spelt blini are flavorful and fluffy, perfect to eat with sweet or savory toppings. We love them with cream cheese and salmon!
I must confess that I didn’t know much about blini beyond how to eat them so in researching this recipe, I learned a lot. For instance, blini were traditionally prepared at the end of winter to celebrate the birth of the new sun, the round blini representing the sun. The Orthodox church adopted the pagan tradition and Maslenitsa or pancake week is still celebrated today.
Originally blini were made with a yeasted dough and baked in an oven. In fact, even though they are pan-fried like pancakes these days, even in Russia, the Russian verb used to describe their preparation is still “bake.”
Sourdough Sprouted Spelt Blini
My recipe was adapted from one on La Recette du Jour, using wholegrain spelt instead of the traditional buckwheat. If you don't have spelt or buckwheat whole grain wheat would also work.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups or 300ml milk
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
7 oz or 200g discard sourdough starter
2/3 cup or 80g plain flour
1 cup or 120g sprouted spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
butter for the griddle
Method
Warm the milk slightly and add in the yeast and sugar. When the yeast is activated (that is, when the milk gets foamy on top) add it to the sourdough starter in a large mixing bowl and whisk until blended.
Add both the flours, stir again, cover with cling film or a plastic bag, and leave to double in size. This should take 1 – 1 1/2 hours at room temperature. (If it’s chilly where you live right now, put the covered bowl in your kitchen sink filled with warm water.)
Separate the eggs and set the whites aside in a large clean bowl. Stir the yolks into the batter with the salt and leave for about another hour.
The batter should now be spongy and bubbly.
When you are ready to cook the blini, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them gently into the batter.
Heat your pan or griddle over a low heat and smear with a little butter.
Once it’s hot, ladle on small dollops of batter, whatever size you want your blini to be. I used a small cookie scoop but still managed to get wonky shaped blini. Mine would probably be booed out of new sun celebration for not being round.
Never mind. Just keep telling yourself that looks don’t matter. It’s all about the taste.
When bubbles start to form and the bottom is browned, carefully turn the blini over with a spatula to cook the other side.
When both sides are cooked, put them on a warmed plate and cover loosely with foil to keep them warm.
Serve them with butter and jam or topped with cured salmon, cream cheese and capers.
Enjoy!
This month my Bread Baker friends are sharing breads made with whole grain flour. Check out the recipes below. Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm.
- Zesty South Indian Kitchen: Einkorn and Spelt Whole Wheat Flour Sourdough Bread
- Passion Kneaded: Marble Wheat Loaf
- Magical Ingredients: Multigrain Carrot Rolls
- The Wimpy Vegetarian: Oatmeal Rolls with Molasses
- Making Miracles: Seedy Soft Sandwich Bread
- Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Sourdough Boules with Quinoa, Oats, and Sprouted Seeds
- Food Lust People Love: Sourdough Sprouted Spelt Blini
- Sneha's Recipe: Spelt Banana Bread
- A Messy Kitchen: Sweet Wheat Braid
- Karen's Kitchen Stories: Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Ambrosia: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakershome page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
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