Russian Cottage Cheese Blini
Thin Russian crepes with a sweet cottage cheese filling — blended smooth so it stays creamy instead of grainy, bound with one egg so it holds its shape, then fried in butter until the outside is golden and slightly crisp. The kind of breakfast people ask for by name. Serve with sour cream or jam, and do not skip the second fry.
Ingredients
- 1000 mlwhole milk, warm
- 430 gplain flour
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbspsugar
- ½ tspsalt
- 3 tbspsunflower oil
- 200 mlboiling water
- 550 gcottage cheese, 5–9% fat
- 1 egg
- 4 tbspsugar
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 2 tbspsour cream
- 2 tbspbutter, for frying
- 1 lemon, zest only
Method
- Make the batter: whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt until lightly frothy. Pour in the warm milk and sunflower oil. Sift in the flour gradually, whisking constantly to keep the batter smooth and lump-free. It should feel like thin pouring cream. Let the batter rest for 20–30 minutes — this is not optional, it is what makes the crepes pliable instead of rubbery.
- Just before cooking, pour in the boiling water in a thin stream while whisking vigorously. The batter will thin out and look almost too liquid — that is exactly right. Heat a 20–22 cm skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with oil only for the very first crepe. Pour in just enough batter to coat the pan in one thin sweep, swirling the pan immediately. Cook 30–60 seconds until the edges lift and the surface looks dry, then flip and cook for another 20 seconds. Stack on a plate, no need to add anything between them.
- Make the filling: if the cottage cheese has a coarse or grainy texture, push it through a fine sieve or blend it for 30 seconds until completely smooth — this single step is what separates a silky filling from a lumpy one. Add the egg, sugar, vanilla extract, sour cream, and lemon zest. Mix well until uniform. The filling should hold its shape when scooped; if it looks too wet, add a teaspoon of flour or cornstarch. If too dry, add another half tablespoon of sour cream.
- Assemble: lay a crepe flat with the paler side facing up. Place about 1.5 tablespoons of filling near the bottom edge, leaving at least 3 cm free on each side. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll away from you into a tight, compact envelope. The filling should be completely enclosed. Repeat with remaining crepes.
- Final fry: melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat until it foams. Place the blini seam-side down and fry for 2–3 minutes until deep golden. Flip carefully and fry for another 2 minutes on the other side. Do this in batches — do not crowd the pan. Serve immediately with cold sour cream, jam, or fresh berries alongside.
FAQ
Grainy or rubbery filling comes from two mistakes. The first: using coarse-curd cottage cheese without blending it first. The second: using more than one egg per 500 g of cheese, which causes the protein to over-set when heated. The fix is straightforward — push the cottage cheese through a fine sieve or blend it for 30 seconds before adding anything else. One egg binds the filling without making it rubbery. One to two tablespoons of sour cream or softened butter keeps it moist even after the second fry.
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Comments (1)
I weigh every ingredient for russian cottage cheese blini instead of using cups. Baking is chemistry. An extra tablespoon of whole milk can push this from perfectly balanced to dense and heavy. A $15 scale pays for itself immediately.