Is there a recipe you’ve always feared of making? Have you tried it or does it just seem way too complicated? I can honestly say I’m generally quite fearless in the kitchen. To me, recipes are for the most part a set of instructions. And I’m good with following instructions. You read, you measure, you chop/mix/whatever… and eventually you get to eat. My favorite! But then there were blini…
…making them scared me. Seriously scared me. Blini (Russian crepes) is absolutely my most favorite breakfast. I just love these buttery crepes dipped in sweet condensed milk or sour cream with jam. Love. So a few years back (when I had very little interest in cooking actually, so this memory surprises me), I asked my mom to show me how to make them.
The batter was a piece of cake – mix some flour, eggs, milk (or cream), a pinch of sugar and salt and you’re ready to go. Easy! This is where things got a little scary. You pour the batter into a hot pan and very quickly have to tilt it to form the perfect circle. My batter was forming all sorts of shapes, dripping all over the place. Scary. Every time my mom gave it a go, hers were perfect. Mine not so much. Making crepes is all about technique which of course comes with practice (sort of hard for the perfectionist in me to wrap my hands around – I want to be perfect right away. Damn reality!) I gave up pretty fast.
Since that day I figured I was just not a natural blini maker. And then I decided to conquer my fear and go for it. For the blog! Lucky for you, I think I figured out what went wrong that day. It was the pan. My mom’s super old cast iron skillet didn’t have a smooth enough surface for the batter to slide around effortlessly. She was used to it (she’s been making blini for years, on that same pan!) but unless you are an expert cook or want to have a blini-free life paralyzed by fear of trying to make them again (which I don’t recommend), I say use a good non-stick pan, and then oil it before each blin. It may take a few blini to get the hang of it, but then you’ll be banging them out like a pro. I promise! 
Ingredients:
(makes ~15 crepes)
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups of milk (or heavy cream for more indulgent blini)
- 1T sugar
- 1/2t salt
- approx. 2 cups of flour
- 2T canola or vegetable oil + more for oiling the pan
Instructions:
1. Whisk eggs, milk, sugar and salt
2. Slowly start stirring in flour. Start with a cup, and stir a little more at a time until you get a runny batter but not as thin as milk – don’t stress about this step, you can always adjust as you go!
3. Stir in oil
5. Let rest for 15 minutes
6. Preheat a 10" non-stick pan over medium heat and rub with oil (I pour some in a little cup and dip a paper towel in, then run it around the pan before making each blin)
7. Use a 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup measurer to scoop the batter into the middle of the pan, then quickly tilt the pan in a circular motion until the batter spreads to cover the pan surface. It should be a very thin layer. Note: The first few blini may be experimental. Try the 1/4 cup and see if the batter covers the pan. Does it easily slide around the pan? If it’s too thick, add some milk/cream to the batter. If it’s too thin, add more flour to the batter. If it flows freely but doesn’t properly cover the pan, use 1/3 cup per blin. I made these twice using a 10" pan, the first time 1/3 cup was perfect, the second time 1/4 cup was enough. Play with heat as well… my stove at home got hot quickly and the blini were burning on medium (3.5/10 heat ended up being perfect). At my parents’ in law house in Maine, the pan wouldn’t get hot enough on medium, but the blini were cooking properly on medium high (on 7/10).
8. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side, until small bubbles form on top and the crepe is light golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook for 30 seconds. Repeat until batter is used (don’t forget to rub the pan with oil each time before you pour the batter!)
As always, enjoy with sweetened condensed milk, sour cream and jam or any toppings, dips, or fillings of your choice. 
So glad I conquered that fear! What are you scared of?
:
I’ve made blintzes before, and I found the crepe-making part a little intimidating too. The pan definitely has a lot to do with it. I’ve found a light, nonstick pan works well. The idea of eating these with condensed milk is completely new to me. It sounds really good!
Russians love their sweetened condensed milk with breakfast – every breakfast item I’ve blogged about is amazing with it [Adam will tell you it's even key!] Check this link out for more breakfast ideas (with condensed milk, of course!)… http://www.russianbites.com/category/breakfast-dishes
OMG! I have this same fear. I tried making blini before and it was a complete disaster. I am good at blinchiki, but not the large crepes
Thanks for the play by play. I might have to give it a go again 
Do it. I promise with a good pan and a little flexibility (play around with the milk/flour proportions), it’s not bad at all… and SO delicious! Also, I’m all for conquering fears, especially in the kitchen
Your blini look perfect! In high school, a friend and I made a ton of crepes for our French class, so I forced myself to learn the pan-tilting technique. I don’t know why I haven’t made them since… they are so good, especially with chocolate and bananas
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Nice! I had all these plans for filling them with sweet and savory things, and then we ended up gobbling up this batch the way pictured
Just means there is more of this in my future. I’m ok with it!
they look fantastic!! a good nonstick pan does wonders, i was scared the first time i made crepes, but it didn’t seem that bad. reminds me i’ve wanted to play around with them again
I’ve been thinking about your mushroom cake ever since actually now that I’m not scared of making crepes
Yours look so nice! I’ve made other kinds of crepes before, and they were always too small.
I’ve always (well, since dating the bf) eaten blini with roe (fish eggs). It was one thing I still ate before eating fish again, since I ate chicken eggs, fish eggs were pretty much on the same calibur.
Sounds delicious – a classic appetizer for sure!
Elina, you have a wonderful and very interesting blog! In the West we have this weird idea blini are only thick small pancakes made with buckwheat…
Your crepes look perfect and very thin. I now exactly what you mean by the difficulty of obtaining a beautiful crepe… I almost always put aside the first crepe, which is a disaster (I mean I put it into my mouth, because it still tastes great in spite of the look). I only make buckwheat crepes though; I prefer savoury toppings and somehow buckwheat flour is better for me.
The best thing to grease a pan when making crepes is a piece of pork fat! Sometimes difficult to find in certain countries…
Thanks for visiting my blog!
That’s so interesting, Sissi. I think those are more like oladushki (or blinchiki) in Russia but I’ve never seen them made from buchwheat flour. I kind of want to try them now! Pork fat? I wouldn’t even know where to look for that…
Thank you, Elina, for the answer! The pork fat my mum used (whenever she could buy it) was what in Russia I think is cured and called “salo” (of course the piece used to “brush” the pan is not cured, but raw!).
I still remember that even the crêpes’ taste was better!
Ah, salo – of course! I may have to try it sometime (if I find it) and see if it makes a difference
Very interesting recipes. I am quite familiar with Russian cuisine and glad to come across your site. I didn’t know cheesy profiteroles existed in Russian cuisine, I must try when I am there next.
Those aren’t exactly traditional but something my mom found in a Russian magazine many years ago. Who knows, maybe you’ll find them after all. Report back please if you do
I’m glad you got brave because these are gorgeous! I have a crepe recipe thats pretty fool-proof but I can never get them as thin as yours. This recipe is getting bookmarked for sure!!
Yay, glad to hear it! You probably need to thin out the batter… just my hunch!
Yum. I’ve always been nervous about making a pie for reasons I don’t quite understand.
Kelly – I think that’s the only other thing I’m scared of. Actually took a pie making class a few months ago. I may need to do a post on it on Healthy and Sane with all the tips I learned (+step by step photos!). Maybe that will help both of us get over that fear!
Such great step-by-step photos. I always wanted to make crepes but never thought I’d be able to get that perfect thin pancake. Good to know that a non-stick pan makes it so much easier!
It does. Try them!!
Yummers. Pancakes are like my favourite food and these are like pancake’s cousins so I know I’d LOVE them! Beautiful, helpful, photos!
They look mouth watering! Wow, simply delicious and I love the filling! Thanks for visiting yesterday!
I am so scared to try making croissant dough. I really want to learn how, but it’s so daunting I’ve never tried. I’m glad this recipe worked out for you!
I actually have “make croissants” on my list for this year. I plan on blogging about it on Healthy and Sane so stay tuned
This has got my mouth watering! I love crepes, but I only cook one side. I’m totally trying yours…NOW!
What a great post! I had no idea that blini and crepes were one and the same. Who knew? I can make blini!!
Your crepes look beautiful…I would love some for my brunch right now!
It is definitely about the technique, and yours is spot on. These crepes look divine.
This looks absolutely incredible!
How cool are these! They look delicious!
Thank you so much for commenting on my blog because now I found you, and I’m LOVING your blog!
I’m so glad I found your blog. my russian boyfriend was just telling me today that I need to learn how to make blinchiki, and now I can! I can’t wait to try out all of your recipes!
Yay, Molly – so glad you found the blog! (Btw, do you mind telling me how you found it?) Blinchiki are actually slightly different (similar batter, a little thicker). They are the same as olad’yi (or oladushki). Here is my recipe: http://www.russianbites.com/oladyi-pancakes
I’d love to hear what you and your boyfriend thought of them
oh my! those look soo good! I love crepes!
Yum! LOVE crepes!
Ok, and as a total side note – LOVE the backsplash too! Gorgeous.
Hehe, thanks. We had the kitchen redone last year
[...] – update on 10/3: so far I’ve made beef stroganoff, ponchiki, savory profiteroles, blini, layered jello cake, vareniki, chocolate covered [...]
I got friends in Russia to show me how to make these, but I still had a learning curve with the tilting, which was definitely intimidating. (Of course, my mom did it with no problem, but I was determined so now I’m good, too.) Then I had to learn from gas stove to electric, which was annoying and harder to control, but I really love making them. Thought you might be interested in the recipe I use (adjusting measurements as I think necessary):
Recipe: http://youtu.be/EZrFYQH5ueE
Technique: http://youtu.be/aMr827zoNIA
in Russian. They do come out soft and thin (hers are thinner than mine) and quite good.
This is great! Thanks for sharing
PS – I totally hope to have a gas grill some day!!
my mom makes amazing crepes and we have always had them for supper as a savory dish. we would fill them with sour cream, smoked salmon, herring, chopped onion and a drizzle of clarified butter. my mouth is watering just thinking about them. YUM
Mmm, that sounds awesome!!
Wow! What a great recipe! So much better than our family’s recipe. Great job on your blog too! Very entertaining and informative.
Enjoy!
Oh my gosh!! It looks soooo good!!
I made them this morning and they turned out so perfect! I had to add a bit more oil just because I was using iron skillets but they were mmm, mmm so good!