WHY ADD BEATEN EGG WHITE AS WELL AS YEAST?
To increase the amount of air in the batter. During cooking, this extra air – in addition to the water in the batter – will be transformed into gas bubbles that will give the blinis their airy texture.
ORGANISATION
1 day before | Prepare the batter up until the end of step 2, then set aside in the refrigerator.
On the day | Let the batter come to room temperature for 1 hour, then incorporate the beaten egg white.
MAKES 380 G
(ABOUT 25 × 3–4 CM DIAMETER BLINIS)
30 g egg yolk (about 2 eggs)
10 g oil
125 g milk
7 g fresh baker’s yeast, crumbled
125 g plain flour
30 g unsalted butter
pinch of salt
45 g egg white (about 1½ eggs)
10 g sugar
1 Mix the egg yolk with the oil. Warm the milk to no more than 40°C on a cooking thermometer. Mix in the yeast, then pour into the egg mixture and whisk lightly until smooth. Add the flour to one side of the mixture and whisk delicately, gradually bringing the flour to the centre, until the mixture is smooth. Add the butter and salt, then whisk.
2 Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
3 Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, gradually increasing the speed of the mixer. Add the sugar to stiffen them. Using a silicone spatula, carefully fold the beaten whites into the yeast mixture (see Incorporating egg whites).
4 Heat a lightly oiled frying pan until very hot, then pour in small amounts of the batter to make the blinis. Small air bubbles will form. Once they burst, turn the blinis using a spatula and cook for a further 20–30 seconds. Set aside on a baking sheet lined with baking paper until cool. Repeat until all the mixture has been used.